ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Central Science Laboratory

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what was her Department's (a) planned and (b) actual expenditure on services from the Central Science Laboratory in 2001–02;
	(2)  if she will list the net income derived by the Central Science Laboratory in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 from (i) her Department, (ii) each other relevant Government department or agency and (iii) the private sector;
	(3)  what her Department's planned expenditure is on the Central Science Laboratory in (a) the current financial year and (b) each of the next three financial years.

Margaret Beckett: The Central Science Laboratory provides a wide variety of primarily scientific services connected with agriculture, food and the countryside to my Department and other customers. Those services are provided on the basis of contracts for specific projects and expenditure by the Department on the Central Science Laboratory will be dependent on the totality of those contracts from individual departmental customers.
	2001–02 was not a typical year since the Foot and Mouth outbreak required the Department to make exceptional calls on Central Science Laboratory staff and facilities.
	The net planned income from Defra for 2001–02 was #25,621m, the actual income was #30,560m. The difference is largely accounted for by income on FMD activity of #3.8m.
	The net income derived by Central Science Laboratory in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 is shown in the table below:
	
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 
			  #,000 #,000 
		
		
			 Defra 26,269 30,560 
			 FSA 1,923 2,273 
			 Other Government Departments 930 390 
			 Levy Bodies 677 563 
			 Private Sector* 4,753 6,207 
		
	
	Note:
	* includes income from the EU.
	Fuller information is available in the Central Science Laboratory's Annual Report and Accounts available on their website at: www.csl.gov.uk/news/publication/
	Central Science Laboratory's planned income from its departmental customers for the current financial year is expected to total #27,919m.
	CSL current forecast income for the next three financial years is as follows:
	
		
			 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 
			 #,000 #,000 #,000 
		
		
			 28,187 28,328 28,404

Polluters

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to spend the money raised by fining polluters on environmental improvements.

Alun Michael: Pollution is tightly regulated under a range of legislation. For example, industrial activities with a significant polluting potential must prevent or minimise emissions by applying the ''Best Available Techniques'', in accordance with the new Pollution Prevention and Control regime (The Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000). Where polluters are prosecuted in the Courts, any fines that might be imposed are paid to the Exchequer. These payments are not ring-fenced for environmental improvement purposes but imposed by the Courts as a penalty. The Courts can also order payment of regulators' costs.
	As regards the Pollution Prevention and Control regime, in line with the ''polluter pays'' principle, polluting companies are required to meet the cost of any necessary improvements and fees in relation to the cost of regulation. There is also a provision under the Pollution Prevention and Control legislation enabling regulators, in certain circumstances, to require operators to prevent or remedy the effects of pollution at their own expense and to recover the costs where the regulator itself arranges for the work to be done.

Flooding

David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria are used by her Department to determine entitlement to new investment to protect residential areas at risk from flooding.

Elliot Morley: This Department provides funding to local operating authorities for new and improved flood and coastal defences that are technically sound, economically worthwhile and environmentally acceptable, and also achieve an appropriate priority score. The priority score system has been revised and, for schemes starting after April 2003, will be based on three elements—economic, people issues and environmental protection and enhancement.

Rural Areas

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much of the (a) Parish Plan scheme, (b) Community Services Grant and (c) Parish Transport Grant was (i) bid for and (ii) spent in (A) 2001–02 and (B) 2002–03 to date broken down by organisation.

Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the figures below. Annual figures for the amount of money bid for are not currently available. Cumulative figures for the whole programme period, split by organisation, have been given.
	
		Funds Spent
		
			 Scheme Organisation Bid 01/03 (to Oct 1) Spent 01/02 Spent 02/03 (to Oct 1) 
		
		
			 Parish Plans Parish & Town Councils #0.92m #0.39m #0.53m 
			 Community Service Grant Commercial/Retail #2.09m #1.02m #0.87m 
			  Charities #1.22m #0.56m #0.56m 
			  Other(1) #1.18m #0.11m #0.97m 
			 Parish Transport Grant Parish and Town Councils #0.97m #0.35m #0.6m 
		
	
	Note:
	(1) ''Other'' includes private individuals, the voluntary sector and not-for-profit groups.

Rural Areas

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent on supporting rural sub-post offices broken down by county since September 2001.

Alun Michael: The Department for Trade and Industry established a #2 million fund in November 2001 of which #822,337 has been approved up to 30 September 2002. Of this #528,991 has been paid out. The breakdown of funds by English county and devolved administration is:
	
		
			 County Money Approved Money Paid Out 
		
		
			 Avon #370 #370 
			 Bedfordshire #44,411 #24,411 
			 Buckinghamshire #1,206 #0 
			 Cambridgeshire #34,974 #19,267 
			 Cheshire #12,355 #0 
			 Cleveland #1,500 #828 
			 Cornwall #22,141 #7,550 
			 County Durham #2115 #1,998 
			 Cumbria #23,231 #21,480 
			 Derbyshire #72,944 #24,977 
			 Devon #42,467 #30,574 
			 Dorset #24,576 #4,200 
			 East Sussex #3,663 #3,663 
			 Essex #29,265 #20,030 
			 Gloucestershire #7,000 #5,471 
			 Hampshire #35,313 #28,329 
			 Herefordshire #6,161 #208 
			 Humberside #19,429 #19,429 
			 Kent #31,391 #24,621 
			 Leicestershire #43,678 #23,444 
			 Lincolnshire #45,075 #39,167 
			 Norfolk #9,277 #5,025 
			 North Yorkshire #394 #394 
			 Nottinghamshire #9,803 #9,803 
			 Shropshire #15,950 #15,950 
			 Somerset #10,475 #10,475 
			 Staffordshire #27,689 #13,590 
			 Tyne and Wear #9,864 #0 
			 West Midlands #1613 #1,613 
			 Wiltshire #9,441 #9,221 
			 Worcestershire #9,187 #8,107 
			 Yorkshire #38,952 #33,035 
			 Northern Ireland #43,822 #33,575 
			 Scotland #55,528 #30,100 
			 Wales #77,077 #47,726 
		
	
	Since April 2001 the Vital Villages programme has supported 35 schemes, which included support for rural post offices. Figures broken down by county are not available but #373,211 has been spent on these schemes in total.

Rural Areas

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 6 February 2002, Official Report, column 987W, on the Rural White Paper, what information on expenditure and assistance has since been carried out by her Department on market towns; and if she will publish it.

Alun Michael: Expenditure on market towns in 2001–02 is estimated at some #2.5m by the Regional Development Agencies and some #2.5m by the Countryside Agency. Information for the current financial year is not yet available but as most towns have now completed their action plans this should result in a substantial increase in project expenditure by RDAs and other partners.

Tenant Farmers (Right to Buy)

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to introduce a right-to-buy scheme for tenant farmers.

Alun Michael: The Government has re-established the Tenancy Reform Industry Group to help it take forward the recommendations on agricultural tenancy issues made by the Policy Commission on Food and Farming and in the report produced by Plymouth University on the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995. The group is expected to hold its first meeting shortly. I can confirm that the Government has no plans at present to introduce a right-to-buy scheme for tenant farmers in England and Wales.

Departmental Employees

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people are employed by her Department.

Alun Michael: Details of the number of people employed by Defra are available in table 5.6 of the 2002 Departmental Report.

Agricultural Wages Board

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who the independent members appointed by her Department to the Agricultural Wages Board are; and how many of the meetings of the AWB each has attended in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002.

Alun Michael: There are five independent members of the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) for England and Wales. All are nominated jointly by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the National Assembly for Wales. The current independent members are:
	Professor John Andrews (Chairman)
	Mrs. Jacquie Findlay
	Mrs. Myra Hodgson
	Dr. Hugh Billot
	Professor Ian Smith
	The AWB Secretary has confirmed that the meetings attended by the independent members are as follows:
	
		
			  2001 2002 
		
		
			 Number of Board meetings held* 3 4 
			 Number of meetings attended:   
			 John Andrews 3 4 
			 Jacquie Findlay 1 1 
			 Myra Hodgson 2 3 
			 Hugh Billot 3 4 
			 Ian Smith 2 1 
		
	
	Note:
	* This excludes working party or other informal meetings

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 19 August regarding a constituent, reference 174365.

Elliot Morley: My hon. Friend's letter was transferred to Defra from another Department on 24 September. My Noble Friend Lord Whitty responded to the letter on 17 October.

WALES

Consultancies

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list external (a) public relations/communications companies, (b) advertising and marketing companies, (c) management consultancies (d) accountancy companies, (e) banking firms, (f) individual consultants and (g) other specialist consultancies used by his Department since June 2001; what actions those consultancies/companies have performed within his Department; and what costs have been incurred through use of these consultancies/companies.

Paul Murphy: Since June 2001 the Wales Office has employed no consultants under (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e).
	Since June 2001 the Wales Office has employed a firm of consultants called Inbucon who undertook a staffing review, one legal consultant called Helen Bennett Associates, who gave specific legal guidance to the Wales Office and Open Connections a records management consultancy firm, who advised on improving the document and records management systems.
	The cost of using these consultants is commercially confidential.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Catering Services

Andrew Stunell: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, 
	(1)  what plans the Commission has to cap the subsidy for catering over the period of the Three Year Strategic Plan;
	(2)  what steps the Commission is planning to reduce the annual subsidy for catering set out on page 16 of the 24th Annual report of the Commission.

Archy Kirkwood: The Commission is satisfied that the Refreshment Department achieves value for money in the delivery of its services, given the nature of the services required by the House's sitting patterns.
	Both the Commission and the Finance and Services Committee see these issues as important elements in the House's three-year financial plans. The Commission has asked the Finance and Services Committee to examine the recommendations of the Catering Committee's recent Report on Refreshment Facilities in the House of Commons, 1 especially in the light of the Modernisation Committee's proposals for changes to the House's working patterns. It would be premature for the Commission to make any long-term decision about the appropriate cost of catering services until the extent of these changes has become apparent and the Finance and Services Committee has considered these matters. No doubt my hon. Friend, as a member of the Committee, will contribute fully to that consideration.
	Note:
	1 Refreshment Facilities in the House of Commons, Catering Committee, First Report 2001–02

New Palace Yard

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make a statement on the total cost of the works to install new security infrastructure in New Palace Yard, carried out during the summer adjournment.

Archy Kirkwood: As I am sure the hon. Gentleman will understand, it is longstanding practice not to comment on the details of security expenditure or arrangements on the Parliamentary Estate.

TRANSPORT

Rail Operating Companies

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail operating companies have achieved their targets for passenger services in the last 12 months; how many have been fined for non-compliance; how many franchises have now been continued; and how many operating companies are complying with the terms of their original franchises in relation to payments to the S.R.A.

John Spellar: All franchise agreements contain thresholds for cancellations which, if breached, can result in enforcement action. Arriva Trains Northern is the only company to have paid a penalty in the last 12 months as part of enforcement action.
	Most train operators are also subject to a contractual performance regime. Details of monies paid under this regime are contained in the Strategic Rail Authority's On Track publication, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. Train operators also have performance targets in their Passengers' Charters against which compensation to passengers is based.
	No further extensions to franchises have been agreed since my answer to the hon. Member for Bath on 24 May 2002, Official Report, column 616.
	Only a small number of train operating companies are contractually required under their original or revised agreements to have paid premiums to the Strategic Rail Authority. To date, all of those companies have complied with their franchise terms in that respect. Information on payments to and from train operators can be found in the Authority's Annual Report, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the forecast regularity of flights is in (a) 2015 and (b) 2030 in connection with the proposals relating to Alconbury airfield contained in the Department's Consultation, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East).

David Jamieson: The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East) main consultation document is seeking views on a range of options, one of which is a small-scale airport development at Alconbury. Chapters 12 and 15 of the Stage Two appraisal findings report presents the findings relevant to Alconbury for both passenger and freight movements.
	This indicates that, in a scenario where no additional runway capacity is provided at major airports in the region, Alconbury is forecast to handle nearly 70,000 passenger air transport movements (PATMs) and 11,000 freight ATMs in 2015. This rises to just over 70,000 PATMs and 30,000 freight ATMs in 2030.
	If additional runway capacity is provided at major airports in the south east, both passenger and freight forecasts indicate that only around one-fifth of this traffic will be attracted to Alconbury.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the consultation findings are to be made public so far as they relate to Alconbury airfield; what further procedures and consultation will take place; and when.

David Jamieson: The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East) main consultation document sets out the process relating to the disclosure of responses (Annex G, page 172). Responses to this consultation will inform Minister's decisions on the policies to be included in the air transport White Paper, which we plan to publish next year.
	If the White Paper favours the Alconbury option, it would then be for a promoter to work up the detailed development plans, discuss these with affected parties and apply for planning permission through the normal land use planning system.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what areas and how many people will be exposed to different amounts of aircraft noise (a) at night in (i) 2015 and (ii) 2030 and (b) in 2030 based on an average six hour day in connection with the proposals relating to Alconbury airfield contained in the Department's Consultation, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East).

David Jamieson: The South East and East of England Regional Air Services study (SERAS) analysis included illustrative examples of night-time noise footprints for all airport options. The approach adopted is set out in paragraph 6.9.4 of the SERAS stage two appraisal findings report and the results of this work, relevant to the Alconbury option, are presented in paragraphs 12.8.3 and 12.8.4.
	These indicate that, using the 90dBA SEL (sound exposure level) footprint for the noisiest aircraft envisaged operating at night, between 300 and 10,600 people might be contained within the footprint—subject to airport operation.
	The numbers of people affected with this option by different amounts of aircraft noise (daytime) was not assessed at 2030.
	Copies of the above report are available in the House libraries.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent local residents will be entitled to compensation; what the qualifications or compensation will be; how the level of compensation will be assessed; and who will pay such compensation in connection with the proposals relating to Alconbury airfield contained in the Department's Consultation, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East).

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hayes and Harlington (Mr. McDonnell) on 15 October 2002, Official Report, columns 721W–22W.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what types of aeroplanes will be capable of using the proposed airport at Alconbury.

David Jamieson: With a runway length of over 2,700 metres aircraft up to Boeing 747 size could use Alconbury (but not at maximum loads).
	The option of a small-scale development at Alconbury, presented in The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East) consultation document, allows for the use of a typical aircraft of the Boeing 737–700 type.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the passenger terminal at Alconbury airfield will be built to accommodate the maximum capacity of five million passengers from the outset of operation.

David Jamieson: The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East) main consultation document is seeking views on a range of options, one of which is a small-scale airport development at Alconbury. Responses to this consultation will inform Minister's decisions on the policies to be published in the air transport White Paper.
	If the White Paper favours the Alconbury option, the level of development and how it would be phased would depend on the commercial judgement of the proposer/developer of the airport.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what impact the ADL Planning Inspectorate report will have on the proposals relating to Alconbury airfield contained in the Department's Consultation, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East).

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 15 October 2002, Official Report, column 721W.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to review the CHUMMS proposals with regard to airport traffic (a) in connection with Huntingdon to Cambridge public transport and (b) in connection with proposed changes to the A14; and what estimate he has made of the increase in use of the A1 in connection with the proposals relating to Alconbury airfield contained in the Department's Consultation, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East).

David Jamieson: There are no plans at present to review the findings of the Cambridge to Huntingdon Multi-Modal study (CHUMMS) in the light of the public consultations that are currently taking place with respect to the South East and East of England Regional Air Services study (SERAS). The consultation is seeking views on a range of airport development options in the South East and East of England, one of which is a small-scale airport development at Alconbury. It would be inappropriate at this stage to review the findings of CHUMMS with respect to all these options. If Alconbury is supported in the Air Transport White Paper, the implications will then have to be considered by the Regional Planning Body.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many jobs are forecast (a) by 2011 and (b) by 2012 in connection with the proposals relating to Alconbury airfield contained in the Department's Consultation, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East).

David Jamieson: The South East and East of England Regional Air Services study (SERAS) identified, in broad terms and for all options, the employment that might be generated. A summary of the employment methodology used is outlined in the SERAS stage two appraisal findings report (section 6.11).
	The results of this appraisal, relevant to the Alconbury option, are shown in section 12.10 of the SERAS stage two appraisal findings report. This indicates that around 12,000 direct jobs might be associated with Alconbury, based on 5 million passengers per annum (mppa) and around 1 million tonnes of freight in 2015.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the probability of water flooding in connection with the proposals relating to Alconbury airfield contained in the Department's Consultation, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East; and what contingency plans he will put in place to deal with this.

David Jamieson: A summary of the appraisal methodology regarding the water environment is outlined in the SERAS stage two appraisal findings report (section 6.8). The results of this appraisal, relevant to the Alconbury option, are summarised in paragraphs 12.7.1 and 12.7.2 of the same document. Copies of this report are available in the House libraries. The report notes that the airfield footprint does not coincide with the 1 in 100 year flood plain.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Government's policy is on permitting an airport to proceed on the basis of (a) only passenger flights but no freight flights and (b) only freight flights and no passenger flights in connection with the proposals relating to Alconbury airfield contained in the Department's Consultation, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East.

David Jamieson: The consultation on the Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East) includes the option for a small-scale development of Alconbury as a possible new airport to provide a mixture of dedicated air freight, express parcel handling, third party maintenance, and low cost passenger operations. We are not consulting on any other options for Alconbury airfield, but we will, of course, consider all responses we receive.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent the completion of the proposals relating to Alconbury airfield contained in the Department's Consultation, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East, is reliant on the expansion of existing airports.

David Jamieson: The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East) main consultation document is seeking views on a range of options, one of which is a small-scale airport development at Alconbury.
	As the document makes clear (chapter 12), the precise future role of the other south-east airports depends on two main factors; firstly the amount and timing of any future capacity provided at the main airports and elsewhere and secondly, the commercial choices made by passengers and airlines. Paragraph 12.23 indicates the forecast use of the Alconbury option under scenarios where runways are provided at major airports in the region and where they are not.
	Responses to this consultation will inform Minister's decisions on the policies to be published in the air transport White Paper.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what indication of interest the Government have received from (a) (i) air passenger companies and (ii) freight carriers to use and (b) airport operating companies to operate Alconbury airport.

David Jamieson: The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East) is seeking views from all interested parties, including passenger and freight airlines and airport operators, on a range of options, one of which is a small-scale development at Alconbury.
	If this option is supported in the air transport White Paper, it would then be for a promoter to submit detailed proposals through the land use planning system.

Focus Group Research

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what use he and his Department has made of focus group research since June 2001; if he will identify for each research project the topics covered, the person or organisation carrying out the research, and the total cost; and if he will publish the research on his Department's website.

David Jamieson: Focus group work forms an element in a number of projects that fall within the Department's research programme. This is not always costed separately. The general conclusions of the focus group work are incorporated, where relevant, in the reports of the research projects carried out.
	However, the Department's Communication Directorate regularly carries out specific focus group research in order to gauge the effectiveness of particular advertising approaches and to assess audience reaction to different creative concepts for developing its advertising programme. This research relates wholly to road safety advertising. Details of the research findings are not published as they relate to work in development, are of an ephemeral nature, contain views given in confidence which are highly subjective, and will often contain approaches that advertising companies would not wish to share with competitors.
	The sums paid to each company in respect of any particular piece of work are regarded as commercial in confidence. However, since June 2001, the total amount spent on focus group research in respect of road safety campaigns is #112k. The companies which have carried out this research for the Department are Abbot Mead Vickers BBDO, Andrew Irving Associates, Carne Martin, Cragg Ross Dawson, Ruth Foulds Qualitative Research, and Campbell Keegan.

Manchester-London Flights

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West of 15 October 2002, Official Report, columns 162–23, if additional slots will be provided for domestic flights between London and Manchester during periods when the West Coast Main line is closed.

John Spellar: Alternative rail links between Manchester and London will be in operation during the closure of the West Coast Main Line. London-Manchester is one of the busiest air routes in the UK. If demand for flights on this route rises, airlines could increase the size of the planes they operate on that route, or increase the frequency of services. This will be a commercial decision for them.

New Road Schemes

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the (a) bypass, (b) road widening and (c) other new road schemes which have been completed since 1997.

David Jamieson: The following trunk and local road schemes costing over #5m* have been opened since 1997:
	Bypasses—Trunk
	M65 Blackburn Southern Bypass Contracts 1 & 2
	M66 Denton—Middleton Contracts 1 to 3
	A12 Hackney Wick—M11 Link Contracts 1 to 4
	A13 Wennington—Mar Dyke
	A13 West of Heathway—Thames Avenue Improvement
	A13 Thames Avenue—Wennington
	A16 Market Deeping Bypass
	A27 Polegate Bypass
	A30 Honiton-Exeter Bypass
	A34 Newbury Bypass
	A35 Puddletown Bypass
	A43 Silverstone Bypass
	A419 Latton Bypass
	A419 Stratton Bypass
	A564 Derby Southern Bypass & Derby Spur Contract A
	A564 Doveridge Bypass
	Bypasses—Local
	A131 Great Leighs Bypass (Essex)
	A143 Broome/Ellingham Bypass (Norfolk)
	A174 Skelton and Brotton Bypass (Redcar & Cleveland)
	A511 Ashby Bypass Stage 2 (Leicestershire)
	A617 Rainworth Bypass (Nottinghamshire)
	Wainscott Northern Bypass (Kent)
	Chippenham Western Bypass (Wiltshire)
	Burntwood Bypass (Staffordshire)
	Biddulph Inner Bypass (Staffordshire)
	A421 Tingewick Bypass (Buckinghamshire)
	Widenings—Trunk
	M1-A1 Link Road
	M5 J18–19 Widening
	M25 J8–10 Widening
	M40 Denham-Warwick
	A1(M) Alconbury-Peterborough
	A1(M) Walshford-Dishforth
	A19/A168 Dishforth-Tyne Tunnel
	A43 Whitfield Turn-Brackley Hatch Improvement
	A43 M40-B4031 Dualling
	A406 Silver Street—Fore Street Improvement
	A406 East of Falloden Way—Finchley High Road,
	A417 Nettleton Improvement
	Widenings—Local
	A22 Dualling Nightingale Farm
	A6002/A6007 Coventry Lane Improvement
	Other—Trunk
	M1/M621 Link Road
	A1 Tempsford Junction Improvement
	A50 Blythe Bridge—Queensway Phase 1(B) & 2
	A50 Derby Southern Bypass (Contract B)
	Other—Local
	A6042 Manchester/ Salford Inner Relief Road Phase 1 (Manchester/Salford)
	Avon Ring Road II: B4465 Shortwood—A420 Warmley (South Gloucestershire)
	Dearne Towns Link Road (Barnsley)
	West Central Route (Newcastle upon Tyne)
	Dawdon to Seaham Town Centre Link Road (Durham)
	A46/47 Link Road (Leicester City)
	A179 Improvement (Hartlepool)
	Werrington to Glinton Phase 2 (Peterborough)
	A16 Peakes Parkway Stage 3 (North East Lincolnshire)
	A289 Gillingham Northern Bypass (Medway)
	A22 New Route Dittons to Seaside Eastbourne (West Sussex)
	Park Lane Improvement Scheme (Sefton)
	South Ribble M65 Interface Improvements (Lancashire)
	* This excludes schemes funded by private developers.

10 Year Plan

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish an updated version of the 10 Year Plan; and when he intends to publish an updated version of Table A3 published in the plan.

David Jamieson: We will be publishing a progress report on implementation of the 10 Year Plan for Transport in due course. This will include updated details on expenditure under the Plan along the lines set out in the table referred to.

Aircraft Noise (Compensation)

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what precedents there are for his Department's paying compensation to people in the UK in connection with disturbance from flying activities in the last five years.

David Jamieson: Compensation for depreciation in the value of properties may be payable under Part I of the Land Compensation Act 1973 for certain physical factors caused by the use of new or altered public works, including aerodromes. Compensation would be paid by the aerodrome manager. The physical factors are noise, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, artificial lighting and the discharge of any solid or liquid substance.
	Normally, the physical factors are those arising from the works themselves, but for aerodromes, this is extended to those from aircraft arriving or departing.

Railways (European Policy)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations have been received from and discussions have taken place with the railway industry on the forthcoming Third Railway Package of the European Commission; and if he will place copies in the Library.

David Jamieson: The European Commission indicated its intention to bring forward further measures over the next three years to improve the quality of passenger and freight rail services in the covering Communication (COM(2002)18) to its 2nd railway package.
	A number of industry parties and individuals commented on these future plans in response to the Government's consultation exercise on the 2nd railway package, which ran from May to 23 August 2002. Copies of the replies (excluding those from respondents who have requested confidentiality) will be placed in the library. My Department holds regular discussions with rail industry parties on the Commission's current and future proposals for the rail sector.

Railways (European Policy)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what submissions have been made by his Department to the (a) European Commission and (b) European Parliament with regard to the Directive on the Interoperability of Trans-European Rail Transport being discussed within the European Parliament; and if he will place copies in the Library;
	(2)  what submissions have been made by his Department to (a) the European Commission and (b) the European Parliament on the Directive on Safety, Licensing and Levying of Charges Certification of Community Railways being discussed within the European Parliament; and if he will places copies in the Library;
	(3)  what submissions have been made by his Department to (a) the European Commission and (b) the European Parliament on the Directive on European Rail Agency Interoperability and Safety being discussed within the European Parliament; and if he will place copies in the Library.

David Jamieson: No written submissions have been made to the European Commission. However, Ministers and officials from my Department participate on a regular basis in Council meetings convened by the Presidency to discuss these elements of the Commission's proposed Second Rail Package. The European Commission is represented at those meetings.
	My officials provided written briefing to UK Members of the European Parliament on these proposals in April, July and September 2002. I will arrange for these sets of briefing to be placed in the libraries of the House.

Railways (European Policy)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what submissions have been made by his Department to the European Commission with regard to progress on the implementation of the First Railway Package; and if he will place copies in the Library.

David Jamieson: None.

Journey Planners (Cycling)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish findings of research into putting cycling into journey planners; and what steps are being taken to act upon these findings.

David Jamieson: As part of the development work for Transport Direct Sustrans undertook a piece of research to look at how cycling could be incorporated into a journey planner. The research highlighted difficulties in doing this on a national scale. The biggest issue is the lack of cycling information being held electronically, cycle routes need to be geo-coded, and these codes need to be held in frequently updated databases to be used successfully in journey planners. Transport Direct does aim to include cycling, but due to the problems outlined above this may have to wait until later versions.
	The Executive Summary and a link to the full paper (which is on the Sustrans website) has been placed on the Department's website www.dft.gov.uk/itwp/transdirect/cyclene/index.htm.
	The recommendations outlined in the report highlighted work needed to progress this issue. The Department will be working with other bodies, including local authorities, Sustrans and other cycling bodies to progress the issues discussed above.

Bus Lanes

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes have been made to legislation with regard to revenue raised from bus lane enforcement since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Local authorities with decriminalised parking enforcement (DPE) powers may issue penalty charge notices in the case of vehicles parked in contravention of bus lanes. Use of surplus income from parking penalty charge notices is governed by the provisions of section 55 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This section was amended by the Greater London Authority Act 1999 to enable London authorities to use surplus income in connection with implementation in their area of the Mayor of London's transport strategy.
	The London Local Authorities Act 1996 enables London authorities, including Transport for London, to issue penalty charge notices on the basis of evidence provided by a prescribed device in respect of vehicles being driven illegally in bus lanes. Use of surplus income from the enforcement of moving bus lane contraventions in London is governed by Schedule 2 to the 1996 Act.
	Otherwise, responsibility for enforcement of bus lanes is the responsibility of the police and fine income accrues to the Exchequer.
	We are currently preparing regulations to be made under section 144 of the Transport Act 2000 which will enable local authorities outside London with DPE powers to issue penalty charge notices in respect of vehicles being driven illegally in bus lanes.

Heathrow Airport (Rail Links)

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of rail links between Waterloo and Heathrow Airport; and what support the Government plans to make available to private companies to use (a) existing tracks and (b) new tracks in order to connect Waterloo and Clapham Junction to Heathrow Airport.

David Jamieson: The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East) consultation is seeking views on a range of options, one of which is for an additional short runway at Heathrow. The main consultation document indicates in paragraphs 7.10 to 7.15 the type and scale of rail infrastructure that would be needed to connect the Heathrow airport option to the wider rail network. The analysis has not attempted to identify the precise location and design of these connections. However, our intention is for the aviation White Paper to contain proposals for improved surface access to Heathrow whether or not a further runway is provided. The level of financial support the Government might make available depends on: the likely net benefit to non-airport rail users; negotiations to maximise funding from aviation; and, the extent to which any public sector contribution would divert funding from other SRA priorities.

Heathrow Airport (Rail Links)

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had on Heathrow Airport rail links with (a) the Strategic Rail Authority and (b) interest groups.

David Jamieson: I, and other departmental Ministers, meet the Strategic Rail Authority on a regular basis; as part of wider industry meetings and specifically to discuss the Authority's work—which includes rail access to airports. We are currently undertaking a wide-ranging consultation on aviation issues that will include discussion about airport rail links with a variety of groups including local authorities.

Shoreham Port Authority

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the management of Shoreham Port Authority regarding the appointment of a new Chief Executive;
	(2)  who sits on the interview panel for the selction of the new Chief Executive of Shoreham Harbour; who appointed them; and when;
	(3)  how many applications were received for the post of Chief Executive of Shoreham Harbour;
	(4)  what stages have been completed in the appointment of the new Chief Executive of Shoreham Harbour; and what the appointment timetable is.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 18 March 2002, Official Report, column 37W, where I stated that the recruitment of employees of the Shoreham Port Authority is not a matter for my Department.

Port Safety

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those ports, sub-divided by type, which do not meet the standards of the Port Marine Safety Code; what assessment his Department has made of those which do not meet this standard and what steps have been taken as a result; what further steps are planned; and if he will place the assessments in the Library.

David Jamieson: The following competent harbour authorities have not yet demonstrated compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code:
	a) Company ports (4)
	Eastbourne (Sovereign Harbour)
	Irvine Harbour Company
	Porthleven Harbour & Docks Company
	Port of Mostyn Ltd
	b) Local authority ports (8)
	Argyle and Bute Council (Rothesay)
	Canterbury District Council (Whitstable)
	Carmarthenshire County Council (Llanelli)
	Exeter City Council
	Isle of Wight Council (Newport)
	Waveney District Council (Southwold)
	West Dorset District Council (Bridport)
	Worthing Borough Council
	c) Trust ports (7)
	Coleraine Harbour Commission
	Crouch Harbour Authority
	Looe Harbour Commission
	Maldon Harbour Improvement Commission
	Maryport Harbour Commission
	Mousehole Harbour Commission
	Sandwich Port & Haven Commission
	d) Other (3)
	Duchy of Cornwall (Isles of Scilly)
	Environment Agency Wales (River Dee)
	Broads Authority
	We have corresponded or met with the authorities that have not yet fully implemented the Code and we are undertaking an overall review of its implementation, which we hope to complete in the New Year; indications so far are that implementing authorities have achieved a high overall standard. The Code makes it a matter for the port to publish compliance statements.

Road User Charges

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether guidance to local authorities on introducing the work place parking levy and road user charging schemes will supersede guidelines already adopted by individual authorities; and what assessment has been made of the impact on local authorities of changes to guidelines where guidelines on work place parking levy and road user charging schemes have already been adopted.

David Jamieson: Local authorities will be given adequate time to bring any existing road user charging or workplace parking levy schemes into line with any national guidance, should that be necessary.

Road User Charges

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the process for consultation on the draft guidance to local authorities on introducing the work place parking levy and road user charging schemes.

David Jamieson: I am still considering the nature and scope of guidance on the workplace parking levy and on road user charging.

Road User Charges

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the guidance to local authorities on introducing the work place parking levy and road user charging.

David Jamieson: A number of local authorities and representative organisations have enquired about guidance on the workplace parking levy and on road user charging, I am still considering the nature and scope of the guidance.

Train Movements

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Strategic Rail Authority will publish the findings of a feasibility study on real time train movements; and what steps it and his Department are taking to act upon these findings.

David Jamieson: I understand that the Strategic Rail Authority has undertaken a feasibility study of Real Time Train Movements (RTTM) in order to create an outline design specification and resolve technical issues. The SRA is not proposing to publish the study, but is proceeding with the implementation of RTTM, which will provide the essential database for public information systems and other uses.

Road Signs

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road signs have been (a) vandalised, (b) stolen, (c) replaced, (d) lost and (e) erected belonging to the Highways Agency in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Ms Hilary Chipping to Mr. Don Foster, dated 21 October 2002
	I have been asked by David Jamieson to reply to your recent parliamentary question about how many road signs have been vandalised, stolen, replaced, lost and erected that belong to the Highways Agency in each year since 1997. I am replying because Tim Matthews is currently away on HA business.
	Unfortunately, I cannot provide this information. The Highways Agency does not currently collect this data and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, it might be possible to obtain some of the requested information for a specific location. Please let us know if you like us to do this.

Traffic Levels

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish a report on progress in reducing road traffic levels as specified in the Road Traffic Reduction (National Targets) Act 1998.

David Jamieson: The Secretary of State fulfilled his statutory obligations under the Road Traffic Reduction (National Targets) Act 1998 with the publication of ''Tackling Congestion and Pollution'' in January 2000. Section 2(5) of the Act makes provision for the Secretary of State to publish progress reports ''at such times as he deems appropriate''. Paragraph 84 of ''Tackling Congestion and Pollution'' promised that a second report under the Act would detail our progress in developing new benchmarks. It remains our intention to publish such a report in due course.

Traffic Levels

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what data he has collated on (a) forecast traffic levels and (b) actual traffic levels since their opening of the (i) A5190 at Burntwood, (ii) Newbury, (iii) A130, Rettendon turnpike to Howe Green, (iv) Silverstone and (v) Ashby bypasses (A) on the bypass concerned and (B) on other roads in the area, including the impact on town centres.

David Jamieson: The A5190 Burntwood, the A130, Rettendon turnpike to Howe Green and the Ashby-de-la-Zouche bypass are not trunk roads and are thus the responsibility of the respective local highway authorities. The Department for Transport has therefore not collated data on these schemes.
	Continuous traffic count data is being collected by the Highways Agency on several sites on the A34 Newbury Bypass and on the A339. Data is also being collected on other roads in the area by the local highway authority. The recorded traffic flows will be compared with the original traffic predictions in an evaluation report now being prepared for the situation one year after opening. Further surveys, including journey time surveys, are planned for next year in order to create a five-year post-opening report.
	Count data at Silverstone was collected over the British Grand Prix weekend, and also just before and just after the opening of the bypass on 18 September this year. A traffic impact study is being drafted, in partnership with Northamptonshire County Council, and will be available to the public when complete. Further evaluation studies will be carried out in one and five years time.

Traffic Levels

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department projects the level of traffic in the United Kingdom to be by 2004–05; and how this was calculated.

David Jamieson: Traffic in Great Britain in 2001 was estimated to be 473.7 billion vehicle-kilometres. The Department's publication ''National Road Traffic Forecasts (Great Britain) 1997'' projects that traffic will grow at a rate between 1.35 per cent. per annum and 1.99 per cent. per annum. Applying these growth rates over a period of 3¼ years, traffic in 2004–05 is expected to be between 494.8 and 505.0 billion vehicle-kilometres.
	Measures in the Government's Ten Year Plan for Transport were projected to reduce traffic levels below trend by around 5 per cent. by 2010, but that forecasting exercise did not consider how such reductions would be spread over different years within the ten-year period. The impact of Ten Year Plan measures is generally expected to be greater in the second half of the period, because of the time needed for major capital projects to come on-stream.
	Traffic forecasting for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Roads Service, part of the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland).

Concrete Barriers

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been conducted and is planned by or for his Department on the benefits of slipformed concrete barriers on motorways and other Highways Agency roads.

David Jamieson: The Highways Agency led the development of concrete vehicle containment barriers in the UK. The bulk of this work was completed by the early 1990s. This supported the use of concrete barriers in road widening schemes, where space was at a premium. The Agency has subsequently undertaken further research and development to refine the systems. Concrete barriers have been promoted as one of the options acceptable to the Highways Agency in tender documents for new work.
	The Agency has also recently contributed with industry towards the costs of investigating the procurement practices in mainland Europe where concrete barriers appear to be used more extensively. Further research is also examining whole life benefits and costs of all vehicle safety barriers to gain a better understanding of the whole life performance of the different types of barrier. There is some evidence that concrete barriers have higher performance characteristics that could be of benefit in particular locations.

Trunk Road Advisory Committee

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made by his Department of the performance of the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment Sustainable Development Education Panel, including performance targets; what reports are produced on its performance; an if he will place copies of such reports not readily available in the Library.

David Jamieson: The Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment published its last report in 1999 entitled ''Transport and the Economy''. The government published a response to the SACTRA report in May 2000 to assess the report and to respond to the committee's recommendations.
	Both these reports are available in the Libraries of the House.
	The Sustainable Development Education Panel is the responsibility of the Department for Education and Skills.

Road Hauliers' Licences

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  when the computerisation of the compliance and local bus registration systems under the auspices of the Transport Area Network was introduced; what changes there have been to the timetable for introduction and nature of this scheme; and what assessment has been made and is planned of its progress;
	(2)  what changes have been made to the timetable for the development and introduction of the TAN21 self service online service for road hauliers to update operators' licences; what the reasons for the changes were; and what costs were incurred as a result of these changes;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the research contracts relating to the TAN21 self service online service for road hauliers to update operators licences; and if he will place copies in the Library.

David Jamieson: The TAN 21 project computerises all the key business functions of the Traffic Area Network. The compliance function was introduced in Jan 2002, 10 weeks behind schedule. Bus registration was introduced in April 2002, 20 weeks behind schedule. The self-service component is 18 months behind schedule and no changes have been made to the original plan. The self-service development was part of a fixed price contract, so the delay resulted in no extra costs. There were no research contracts for the self-service module. TAN21 has been widely welcomed by operators and will be increasingly used by them as the project develops.

South West Trains

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the fares incentive adjustment payment mechanism which applied to journeys operated by South West Trains Ltd.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority's fares regime for London commuter operators—the Fares Incentive Adjustment Payment regime (FIAP)—links permitted fares increases to operators' performance over the previous 12 months. FIAP allows for a variation on the national cap (RPI–1 per cent.) of up to 2 per cent. to reflect improved performance and minus 2 per cent. to reflect deterioration in performance.
	In the year to 31 July 2002 the number of trains arriving on time for most London operators, including South West Trains, improved significantly when compared with the preceding 12 months. This improvement means that the cap on these operators' regulated fares from January 2003 has been set at RPI-1 per cent. The SRA is currently reviewing the fares regime for London operators as part of its policy review of fares regulation. It will make recommendations to Ministers in due course. Any changes in policy will be introduced in 2004.

Air Transport (Consultation Document)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment was made of the cost of using (a) Omega, (b) other private distribution companies and (c) the Royal Mail to deliver The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: A National Consultation Document; and what assesment has been made of the reliability of the service provided.

David Jamieson: All consultation documents are being sent out by the Department's distribution contractor, using either the Royal Mail or their sub-contracted courier service, Securicor Omega. The decision on which carrier is used depends on which is most cost-effective for the weight of each individual consignment, and to a lesser extent on its size. Omega is used to deliver heavier items as they offer the best rates to our contractor.
	Securicor make available national service level reports which the contractor monitors, as well as any individual complaints. There are no reliability figures available from Royal Mail. The Department monitors the performance of its distribution contractor, and resolves any complaints as they are reported.

Air Transport (Consultation Document)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many copies of, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: A National Consultation Document—Midlands, have been distributed;
	(2)  how many requests there have been for, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: A National Consultation—Midlands.

David Jamieson: As of today around 108,063 copies of The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: A National Consultation Document—Midlands have been requested and distributed or accessed as set out in the table below.
	
		
			 Midlands Main Document Summary Document Total 
		
		
			 Hard Copies Issued 20,997 30,563 51,560 
			 Downloads from website 31,115 25,388 56,503 
			  
			 Total 52,112 55,951 108,063

Air Transport (Consultation Document)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses have been received in response to the Future Development of Air Transport consultation document, broken down by region.

David Jamieson: We have received to date around 6,065 responses to the NOP questionnaire and 15,728 letters. This is set out by region in the table below.
	
		
			 Region: NOP Paper Q're Returns NOP Web Responses Total to Date Letters Received 
		
		
			 Scotland 292 128 420 29 
			 South East 1956 1311 3267 5121 
			 Midlands 527 657 1184 10500 
			 North England 430 219 649 39 
			 South West 415 61 476 24 
			 Wales 14 11 25 7 
			 N. Ireland 19 15 44 8 
			  
			 Total 3663 2402 6065 15728

Air Transport (Consultation Document)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration was given to the evaluation of RAF Turnhouse by the Home Office for an asylum seeker accommodation centre in the formulation of options for the expansion of Edinburgh Airport as outlined in the Future Development of Air Transport consulation document.

David Jamieson: The consultation document for Scotland sets out, factually and neutrally, a wide range of options for more runway capacity at both Edinburgh and Glasgow airports. We have not come to any view on the way forward and want to have the views of consultees before we address this. In preparing this document we liaised with many departments including the Home Office and were aware of each other's plans and their potential implications.

Air Transport (Consultation Document)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many copies of the consultation documents, Future Development of Air transport in the United Kingdom–Scotland, were requested by (a) telephone, (b) e-mail and (c) letter; and how many such documents were issued in total.

David Jamieson: As of today around 37,122 copies of The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: A National Consultation Document—Scotland have been distributed or accessed as set out in the table below. We do not have a breakdown on how the requests for hard copies were received.
	
		
			 Scotland Main Document Summary Document Total 
		
		
			 Hard Copies Issued 4,890 10,014 14,904 
			 Downloads from website 9,425 12,793 22,218 
			  
			 Total 14,315 22,807 37,122

East London Line

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received the business case for the southern extensions of the East London Line from the Strategic Rail Authority; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: I have received the business case for the project, which my officials are discussing with the SRA.

Speed Limits

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will issue advice to local authorities on the implementation of lower speed limits; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Department plans to revise the current guidance to local authorities on the setting of local speed limits later next year.

Departmental Schemes

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the schemes and initiatives sponsored by his Department and its agencies which are not the subject of national roll out, showing (a) the authorities or areas covered by the scheme and (b) the budget of the scheme in the last year for which information is available.

David Jamieson: Many thousands of local transport schemes and projects are currently being funded by my Department under the 10 Year Plan for transport through local authorities, the Highways Agencies, the Strategic Rail Authority and other agencies. Details on every individual scheme are not collected centrally, but major schemes and aggregated data on smaller schemes will be listed in the forthcoming progress report on the 10 Year Plan.

South Coast Multi-modal Study

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the South Coast Multi-modal Study.

David Jamieson: The final report from the South Coast Multi-Modal Study was passed to the South East England Regional Assembly on 9 September and we now await their advice. We will then consider the study's recommendations in the light of their comments.

Low-cost Airlines

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how often the Civil Aviation Authority carry out safety checks on low-cost airlines.

David Jamieson: The Civil Aviation Authority's Safety Regulation Group carries out regular audits and flight inspections on all UK airlines. In terms of safety oversight and the frequency of inspections, no distinction is made between low cost and other operators.

Air Ticket Refunds

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to require airlines to accept and refund customers who return air tickets within a specified period of time.

David Jamieson: The terms and conditions applying to the refund of tickets are set out in each airline's conditions of carriage. The International Air Transport Association publishes recommendations on conditions of carriage, applying to international flights provided by member airlines (Recommended Practice 1724). Following the intervention of the UK Office of Fair Trading, changes were made to RP 1724 in September 2000, principally extending the rights of passengers who, for reasons beyond their control, are unable to use a purchased ticket. This recommendation is not, however, binding on carriers and does not apply to domestic flights.
	Any legislative proposals affecting the air transport market within the European Community are a matter for the European Commission. In June 2002 the Commission published a consultation paper on airline conditions of carriage. This includes a proposal to require all EU airlines to apply conditions of carriage similar to those in the amended RP 1724.
	Many European airlines, including all significant full service UK airlines, have signed up to a set of voluntary commitments on passenger service. These include a commitment to allow telephone reservations to be held or cancelled without commitment or penalty within 24 hours, and a commitment to provide prompt refunds where a passenger claims and is entitled to a refund.

Air Slots

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the annual Exchequer income which would derive from auctioning take-off and landing slots at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick and (c) Manchester airports, in line with the announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister on 9 November 2000, using as a basis the estimates of slot values provided by the Civil Aviation Authority in its recommendations to the Competition Commission on airport price caps in February.

John Spellar: No such estimations have been made and could only be done at disproportionate cost. There are large uncertainties on the values of individual slots, and the amount of income would depend on the design of an auction scheme.

Rural Buses

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the (a) Rural Bus Subsidy Grant and (b) Rural Bus Challenge was spent in (i) 2001–02 and (ii) 2002–03 to date, broken down by county.

David Jamieson: The table below shows all payments made to County Councils, Unitary Authorities and Passenger Transport Authorities under the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant (RBSG) and Rural Bus Challenge (RBC) schemes during 2001–02 and 2002–03 to date. Total allocations to authorities for RBSG in 2001–02 were #41.5 million and for 2002–03 are #47.5 million. The payments shown for RBC schemes relate to projects that were approved in different years since the RBC competitions started in 1998. Further payments will be made under both RBSG and RBC schemes during the remainder of 2002–03.
	
		
			  2001–02 payments 2002–03 payments 
			 Shire Counties RBC payments in 2001–02 Total RBSG Grant Paid in 2001–02 RBC payments in 2002–03 RBSG Payments in 2002–03 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 116,791 565,644 151,573 258,969 
			 Buckinghamshire 172,565 672,000 12,330 328,035 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 1,009,112 0 462,003 
			 Cheshire 0 782,514 140,807 358,259 
			 Cornwall 462,000 1,559,210 343,000 713,855 
			 Cumbria 343,500 1,222,506 0 559,701 
			 Derbyshire 200,000 911,879 103,875 417,487 
			 Devon 271,000 1,799,210 272,000 823,735 
			 Dorset 201,092 739,801 130,508 338,704 
			 Durham 0 771,913 0 353,406 
			 East Sussex 466,888 714,092 150,000 326,934 
			 Essex 571,805 1,341,087 347,500 613,992 
			 Gloucestershire 73,956 1,013,984 197,500 464,234 
			 Hampshire 521,260 1,142,167 127,340 522,920 
			 Hertfordshire 87,692 566,589 620,935 259,402 
			 Kent 368,000 1,647,217 278,000 754,147 
			 Lancashire 396,914 959,529 277,856 439,302 
			 Leicestershire 279,540 710,177 703,421 325,141 
			 Lincolnshire 39,708 1,525,138 1,351,445 698,256 
			 Norfolk 75,055 2,035,846 165,000 932,074 
			 North Yorkshire 509,000 1,750,000 701,522 806,913 
			 Northamptonshire 101,075 889,715 716,699 407,340 
			 Northumberland 372,600 608,253 286,000 278,477 
			 Nottinghamshire 185,764 667,430 0 305,570 
			 Oxfordshire 373,579 1,183,588 0 541,884 
			 Shropshire 238,176 804,914 0 368,515 
			 Somerset 94,817 1,299,640 333,439 595,016 
			 Staffordshire 97,548 875,000 92,435 473,041 
			 Suffolk 186,471 1,534,342 0 702,470 
			 Surrey 404,025 779,797 0 357,015 
			 Warwickshire 135,405 761,540 0 348,657 
			 West Sussex 223,773 739,752 0 338,682 
			 Wiltshire 481,080 1,003,848 23,000 459,593 
			 Worcestershire 757,645 862,568 592,480 394,911 
			  
			 Passenger Transport Authorities 
			 Greater Manchester 0 130,160 0 77,357 
			 Merseyside 0 106,590 0 48,800 
			 South Yorkshire 318,500 432,581 1005617 198,049 
			 Tyne and Wear 630,050 104,768 0 47,966 
			 West Midlands 0 110,837 0 50,745 
			 West Yorkshire 208,928 709,628 0 324,890 
			  
			 Unitaries 
			 Bath & NE Somerset 40,000 178,731 150,000 81,829 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 0 33,000 0 22,815 
			 Bracknell Forest 0 51,125 0 23,407 
			 Bristol 0 8,328 0 3,813 
			 Darlington 0 61,742 0 28,267 
			 East Riding 166,863 682,342 592,271 312,397 
			 Halton 0 11,810 0 7,416 
			 Hartlepool 0 21,544 45,000 9,864 
			 Herefordshire 41,518 667,144 179,077 305,439 
			 Isle of Wight 0 203,377 0 93,112 
			 Medway 0 91,533 0 51,139 
			 Middlesbrough 0 12,542 0 6,748 
			 Milton Keynes 101,965 91,265 124,741 41,798 
			 NE Lincolnshire 0 54,463 0 24,935 
			 North Lincolnshire 114,313 328,744 57,157 150,509 
			 North Somerset 0 150,000 0 77,669 
			 Peterborough 0 107,313 0 49,131 
			 Plymouth 141,400 12,139 73,400 5,704 
			 Poole 0 0 0 4,338 
			 Redcar & Cleveland 20,000 72,142 0 33,029 
			 Rutland 0 136,644 0 62,560 
			 South Gloucestershire 80,000 244,422 0 111,904 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 12,000 43,201 0 19,779 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 0 6,925 0 3,170 
			 Swindon 0 58,300 0 32,606 
			 Telford and The Wrekin 184,000 97,107 742,895 44,459 
			 Thurrock 97,000 48,748 0 22,318 
			 Torbay 111,340 8,488 0 4,901 
			 Warrington 26,000 76,161 0 34,869 
			 West Berkshire 0 297,015 67,806 135,983 
			 Windsor & Maidenhead 0 64,592 0 29,572 
			 Wokingham 0 98,880 0 45,270 
			 York 95,200 93,491 0 42,803 
			  
			 Totals 11,197,801 41,157,824 11,156,628 19,000,000

Mayor of London

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the matters discussed and the conclusions reached at his meeting with the Mayor of London on 26 September.

David Jamieson: A range of transport issues was discussed.

Congestion Charges

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the future impact of congestion charges in London on his Department's PSA targets relating to congestion in London; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my Answers of 24 July 2002, Official Report, column 1257W.

Cars (Taxes and Licences)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to reduce the number of (a) unlicenced and (b) untaxed cars on UK roads.

David Jamieson: The Government takes the problem of the use of unlicensed and untaxed vehicles on the United Kingdom's road seriously and is pursuing a wide range of initiatives to deal with the problem. We are currently developing proposals for the reform and modernisation of vehicle registration and licensing, to reduce evasion and to bear down on vehicle crime. In response to the recommendations of a report commissioned by my Department from the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science—a copy of which was placed in the Library in June 2002—we have established a Modernising Vehicle Registration Implementation Board (MVRIB), including representatives of motorists' organisations, the motor trade, the police and the insurance industry to advise on and develop those proposals.
	The 2002 Finance Act contained provisions under which the responsibility for licensing and taxing vehicles will be placed on the registered keeper, who will remain liable for doing so until such time that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has properly been notified of a change of keeper. These proposals will mean that it is not necessary for a vehicle to be detected on the road for effective enforcement action to take place. The implementation of these new powers is at the heart of MVRIB's agenda.
	Detection of unlicensed vehicles on the public road is currently carried out by police and traffic wardens, who pass offence reports to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for enforcement action. Last year 800,000 offenders were brought to book, bringing in #110m in fines, penalties and relicensing revenue. Since 1997 a nationwide scheme has been operating to wheelclamp and impound untaxed vehicles seen on the public road. Over 100,000 vehicles have been clamped since the scheme started. The scheme has been a success and we are looking to increase the level of wheelclamping across the country. A pilot scheme has proved the feasibility of local authorities using DVLA's powers to wheelclamp and impound untaxed vehicles. Following a succesful pilot in the London Borough of Newham, this is being rolled out to local authorities that wish to join the scheme. In addition, mobile digital camera technology has been introduced to detect untaxed moving vehicles.
	DVLA is also working closely with other enforcement agencies in schemes to target both unlicensed and abandoned vehicles, in particular through Operation Cubit, a joint operation between DVLA, the police, fire service and local authorities which removes offending vehicles from the road immediately, and has been run in a number of locations including Kent, Hastings, Brighton, Liverpool, Belfast and Cleveland.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the funding of water treatment projects in and around Kabul.

Clare Short: There are three main organisations working in various areas of Kabul's water system, KFW (German Development Bank), CARE International and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Projects currently being worked on or considered include linking the Loghar Valley Water Supply Scheme to South East Kabul to serve an additional 40 per cent. of its population; a new reservoir for North Kabul; a geological survey to identify deeper aquifers; and a proposal to feed Kabul from the Pansher valley, a project that would include substantial water treatment facilities. Some 5,000 water supply household connections have been repaired and piped water supply has almost doubled in the city since June 2002.

Afghanistan

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) deaths and (b) injuries it is estimated have been caused by unexploded bomblets following the use of cluster bombs in Afghanistan.

Clare Short: UNMAS is currently collating information from the International Committee of the Red Cross on mine and unexploded ordnance casualties throughout Afghanistan as well as additional reports from mine action organisations.
	Unfortunately the information gathered is not comprehensive due to the lack of a complete surveillance system. Consequently accurate national level estimates of casualties from specific types of ordnance are not available. However, an upcoming landmine impact survey will provide additional data, and the introduction of the Information Management System for Mine Action, which includes this information as an element of incident reporting, will enhance the capacity for such analysis.

Afghanistan

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on progress being made in the safe disposal of the unexploded bomblets remaining following the use of cluster bombs in Afghanistan.

Clare Short: A total number of 234 BLU Strike areas have been reported to UNMAS by the US forces to date. So far 108 of these areas have been cleared by organisations working as part of the Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan, and the capacity for clearance of CBU has been greatly increased over the last 12 months to increase the rate of completion. At current rates of clearance UNMAS estimate that all known areas will have been cleared in 2003.

Malawi

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Government of Malawi regarding the cholera control programme; and what plans are in place to implement a sanitisation programme.

Clare Short: The lead agency supporting Malawi on cholera control is WHO. The National Cholera Task Force Ministry of Health (MoH) and relevant donors have pre-positioned cholera treatment supplies, completed field investigations of recurrent outbreaks, set up a Rapid Reaction Force, and prepared simplified surveillance tools. WHO has concluded agreements direct with districts and collaborating NGOs to conduct training on preparedness and case management.
	WHO is supporting community-based sanitisation campaigns on cholera prevention, including key household practises (water storage, handwashing, home sanitation). Government, UNICEF, NGO partners and district authorities are cooperating to ensure that ''hardware'' (treatment supplies, borehole placement) and the ''software'' (health worker training, community awareness) are reaching the worst affected areas.

Debt Repayments

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her policy on whether (a) Malawi, (b) Mozambique and (c) Zambia should be granted an immediate suspension of their HIPC debt repayments.

Clare Short: Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia have all qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Malawi and Zambia have reached their Decision Point, and are already receiving debt relief. Mozambique has passed its Completion Point and is now receiving full debt relief. All three countries have completed a full poverty reduction strategy paper setting out how resources, including savings from debt relief, will be spent, thereby ensuring the maximum possible impact on poverty reduction. To address the current food security problem in the region, the UK has provided #26.5 million in humanitarian relief to these three countries since September 2001.

HIPC Initiative

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries she estimates, on current projections, will exit the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative with unsustainable debt.

Clare Short: Largely as a result of the global economic slowdown and falls in commodity prices, the prospect of most HIPC countries exiting the process with sustainable debt are poor, unless they are provided with further relief. The UK has successfully pressed for the provision of additional relief at Completion Point, but the present arrangement still does not provide a generous enough level of debt relief to those countries with unsustainable debts. We are continuing to press for a more systematic approach to topping up to bring all countries back to a sustainable debt level at Completion Point, so that no country will exit the HIPC process with unsustainable debts.
	Additional financing will be required to meet the costs of topping up. At their Summit in Kananaskis, last July, G8 leaders agreed to provide their share of up to an additional US$1 billion for the HIPC Trust Fund. This will not only help meet the current shortfall in the financing of the Initiative, but will also ensure that there are sufficient funds available to finance the additional debt relief required at Completion Point. At the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the IMF last month, the international community reconfirmed their commitment to the implementation of the HIPC Initiative, and its full financing. Some donors, including the UK took the opportunity to pledge their firm support for the HIPC Trust Fund. The UK announced a bilateral contribution of US$95 million plus its share of any EDF contribution to the Trust Fund. This is in addition to the US$306 million that we have already committed. We hope that other donors will be able to announce their contributions this week.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Lottery Funding

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her policy is on the provision of Lottery funding to groups with a political agenda.

Richard Caborn: It is for individual Lottery distributors to decide upon the eligibility of individual applicants according to the powers given them under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 and in consideration of the directions issued to them under that Act.

Lottery Funding

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under what provision of the arrangements for managing the National Lottery grant finance was provided to the Community Empowerment Network.

Richard Caborn: Under the powers given to it by the National Lottery etc. Act 1993, the Community Fund awarded a grant of #198,823 to the Communities Empowerment Network in June 2000 for work in the Greater London area. This grant completed in July 2002 and the Community Fund do not fund the organisation currently.

Lottery Funding

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to improve access to Lottery funds for village hall projects.

Richard Caborn: We have asked Lottery distributors to work together to make it easier for groups to access funding for multi-purpose community buildings, including village halls. Earlier this year they launched a #2 million trial programme in the West Midlands with a shared application process for groups seeking up to #100,000 to improve their community building and the sports, arts or community activities that happen there.

Lottery Funding

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much National Lottery funding was granted to ex-servicemen's welfare organisations in West Sussex last year.

Richard Caborn: I am not aware of any Lottery funding granted to such organisations in West Sussex last year.

Sport England

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects the Council of Sport England to have a full complement of members.

Richard Caborn: We expect to appoint a chairman and other members to the Sport England Council shortly.

Sport (Performance and Innovation Unit)

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on the draft Performance and Innovation Unit report on the future of sport.

Richard Caborn: My Department has received representations from a number of sporting organisations. In addition, meetings have been held with those Ministers with responsibility for sport in the Devolved Administrations. All comments received have been passed to the Strategy Unit, (formerly the PIU).

Football (Racist Abuse)

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions the Department will have with the football authorities and other Government Departments about the racist abuse of members of the England football squad by Slovakian football fans in the recent international match between the two nations.

Richard Caborn: I discussed events during England's match in Slovakia with representatives of the English football authorities on 16 October. My officials have also discussed the issue in detail with the Home Office, which is responsible for co-ordinating work with overseas police forces in respect of England's away matches.
	The Government and the football authorities now await the results of UEFA's enquiry into these events, following the official complaint made the Football Association.

Swimming

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how the development of Specialist Sports Colleges and School Sport Co-ordinator partnerships is contributing to increasing facilities available for swimming.

Richard Caborn: The Government recently announced the investment of more than #450 million over the next three years to transform the quality of sports teaching in schools. The funds will, amongst other things, contribute to the further development of the Specialist Sport College (240 new Colleges by 2005) and School Sport Co-ordinator (from 700 to 2,400 Co-ordinators by 2005) schemes, and will bring a step change in the quality of sports teaching by promoting expertise and developing opportunity. The investment builds on the #750 million being invested in sports facilities across the UK as part of the New Opportunities Fund PE and Sport programme.
	The Government recognises the importance of swimming to young people and the role it—along with sport more generally—can play in raising standards, improving behaviour and tackling disaffection, as well as improving health levels. On 17 October, as part of the Government's response to the Swimming Advisory Group's recent Report, the Government launched a swimming initiative which will include: a new swimming and water safety website; proposals for a swimming charter (to be published next year); two pilot schemes for children in the final year of primary school and who cannot swim 25 metres; and increased training for teachers.

Swimming

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the cost of refurbishing local authority swiming pools; and what resources are expected to be available over the next five years for this purpose.

Richard Caborn: Sport England estimate that the costs for modernising public sector swimming pools alone (not including educational sites) is approximately #2 billion. The Lottery Sports Fund has invested #244 million in the development of new swimming facilities and the refurbishment of existing swimming pools, making swimming the largest beneficiary sport of Lottery Sports Funding to date.
	Grants from the Lottery Sports Fund are allocated by Sport England according to the policies and priorities set out in their Lottery strategy. We believe that any investment in swimming pool infrastructure should both meet the need of local communities and those of elite swimmers and above all, should be sustainable in the long term.

Gambling

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what research she has commissioned (a) on the effect of allowing children to gamble and (b) on the effect of lifting the ban on gambling by credit card.

Richard Caborn: My Department has commissioned no such research; but the gambling industry's charitable trust will be considering priorities for research in the light of the strategy which it is now developing.

Public Buildings

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will include sustainability as a criteria to be considered during the application process for funding from the Community Fund for public buildings.

Richard Caborn: Directions issued to the Community Fund under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 include sustainability as a criterion to be considered during the application process for public buildings.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Russia

David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what commitments and obligations made by Russia on acceding to the Council of Europe in 1996 remain outstanding.

Denis MacShane: The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) takes responsibility for monitoring accession obligations and commitments, and appoints Rapporteurs for that purpose. The Rapporteurs on Russia made an extremely comprehensive report to the April session of PACE which is available on the PACE website; http://assembly.coe.int. HMG agreed with the report's conclusions.

Opium

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the conflict with the Taliban in Afghanistan has reduced the production there of opium; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: After the fall of the Taliban the Afghan Interim Administration adopted a tough line on drugs: in January they introduced a ban on drugs production, trafficking and processing, and in April implemented a compensated eradication programme. The Afghan authorities estimate that approximately 16,500 hectares of poppy fields were destroyed. This equates to 76 tonnes of heroin, which is approximately three times the UK's annual consumption and worth around #5 billion at UK street level prices. But poppies continue to be cultivated.
	Eradication alone will not solve Afghanistan's drug problem. The sustained elimination of opium poppy cultivation will require long-term international support for the building up of Afghan drug law enforcement and the provision of licit livelihoods for poppy farmers.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will refer the question of Gibraltar's constitutional standing to the International Court of Justice.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O'Brien) on 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 632W.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what grounds he holds the integration of Gibraltar into the UK to be in contravention of the Treaty of Utrecht.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 12 April 2002, Official Report, column 646W.

Gibraltar

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to consult the people of Gibraltar about the future of British sovereignty over the colony.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to the House on 12 July, Official Report, column 1166.

Plutonium

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the en route countries for the rejected plutonium MOX nuclear fuel returned to Sellafield from Japan in July to September; and which (a) made representations to United Kingdom embassies and (b) direct to her Majesty's Government opposing the shipment and objecting to the shipment, entering their territorial waters.

Denis MacShane: The shipment of MOX returned from Japan, which arrived at Sellafield in September 2002, did not pass through the territorial waters of any States, save those of Japan and the UK. Vanuatu, South Africa, Mauritius and Chile made representations to United Kingdom Embassies. New Zealand made a representation to Her Majesty's Government through its High Commission in London. The Pacific Islands Forum troika made representations to a UK delegation. Ireland expressed some concerns through Ministerial statements, press releases and in discussions with the British Embassy in Dublin.

United Nations Monitoring Verification and Inspection Commission

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom nationals are working for the United Nations Monitoring Verification and Inspection Commission; and if he will list their qualifications.

Mike O'Brien: As far as we are aware, there are seven UK nationals working full-time for UNMOVIC. Additionally, one UK national is currently working on a short-term contract to deliver a training package for potential UNMOVIC inspectors.
	All UNMOVIC staff are UN employees and are recruited directly by the UN. UNMOVIC are under no obligation to inform us of their intention to employ UK nationals, or to divulge the qualifications of any staff that they employ.

International Terrorism

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the involvement of Pakistan's ISI in terrorism in Kashmir; if he has raised with President Masharraf concerns with regard to ISI's alleged involvement in terrorism; and what reports he has received implicating Pakistan's ISI in terrorism elsewhere than in Kashmir;
	(2)  what information he has received in the last three months indicating whether progress is being made in dismantling terrorist camps in Azad Kashmir administered by Pakistan; and if he will make a statement on Indian army allegations that the Pakistan army co-operates with terrorists infiltrating across the border into Kashmir.

Mike O'Brien: In his speech of 10 June to Parliament, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary referred to the link between ISID and certain terrorist organisations. We are encouraged by the banning of five such terrorist organisations in Pakistan. Our concerns about cross-border infiltration have been raised regularly with the Pakistanis, including during the Foreign Secretary's 19–20 July visit to Islamabad and when he met Pakistani Foreign Minister Inam ul-Haq on 16 September in the margins of the UN General Assembly. The Pakistanis have reassured us that President Musharraf's pledge that there will be no movement across the Line of Control still stands and the Pakistani Army are doing all they can to stop infiltration. A permanent end to cross-border infiltration and terrorism in Kashmir are critical to a sustained and substantive dialogue leading towards a lasting settlement of the Kashmir issue.
	We welcome the recent announcements by both India and Pakistan of the phased withdrawal of a significant number of troops from the International Border. We hope that his will be followed by further de-escalatory steps and a resumption of dialogue.
	We are aware of regular allegations of ISI involvement in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in establishing a national security force in Afghanistan.

Mike O'Brien: The UK is working closely with Afghan and international partners, in particular the Americans, to help establish an effective and democratically accountable national army, and with the Germans to create a national police force.
	To date, five battalions of Afghan troops have been trained, one by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) when under UK leadership, three by the US and one by the French. Further battalions are under training. The UK is also contributing to the German-led national police force reform programme which is training over 1,500 recruits in the newly rebuilt Police Academy.
	Work is progressing with the Afghan Transitional Administration to agree the structure of the Afghan police, army and border forces under democratically controlled security institutions. The UK is contributing to this process with a #5.7m project to assist with the creation of the office of the National Security Adviser.

Afghanistan

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the security situation in Afghanistan outside Kabul.

Mike O'Brien: The security situation in Afghanistan outside Kabul remains unstable. There are occasional outbreaks of fighting between different Afghan groups, while the absence of effective law and order forces means that little is being done to combat crime.
	A secure environment in Afghanistan is key to extending the rule of the Transitional Administration, to enabling humanitarian aid to be delivered and to allowing reconstruction work to continue. The UK continues to work closely with the United Nations and other interested states to help develop effective and democratically accountable Afghan security and law and order forces under Transitional Administration control.

Afghanistan

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the most recent assessment is of the total area of land in Afghanistan under cultivation for poppies in each of the past 12 years; and what changes have occurred in the past year for which figures are available.

Denis MacShane: The United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention has reported Afghanistan's opium poppy cultivation as follows: 1990–41,300; 1991–50,800; 1992–49,300; 1993–58,300; 1994–71,470; 1995–53,759; 1996–56,824; 1997–58,416; 1998–63,674; 1999–90,583; 2000–82,171; 2001–7,606 (areas in hectares). The results of the 2002 survey have not yet been published.
	Poppy cultivation remains concentrated in the provinces of Helmand, Nangarhar, Badakhshan, Oruzgan and Kandahar.

Lombok

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political and economic situation on the island of Lombok, Indonesia.

Mike O'Brien: The political situation in Lombok has stabilised since the widespread violence between Christians and Muslims in 2000, though reports of isolated incidents of violence continue. Lombok is one of Indonesia's poorer provinces and its tourism industry will undoubtedly suffer following the terrorist attack in Bali and advice to overseas visitors to stay away.

UN Security Council Resolutions

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each of the United Nations Security Council resolutions which have not been implemented by UN member states since August 1990; and if he will set out what the United Kingdom has done in each case to press for implementations.

Denis MacShane: Between August 1990 and 17 October 2002 the United Nations Security Council adopted 779 resolutions.
	The UK expects all Member States to implement Security Council resolutions, and has called on the States concerned to do so, as has the Security Council itself. When the Security Council has taken a decision all Member States have an obligation to accept it and carry it out under Article 25 of the Charter of the United Nations.
	The United Kingdom has also fully supported the establishment of a number of committees of the UN Security Council, monitoring mechanisms and expert panels whose mandates include monitoring member states' implementation of Security Council resolutions (eg, those imposing sanctions regimes, or demanding that states take action against terrorism).

International Criminal Court

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts within the European Union regarding a common EU position on bilateral agreements with the United States regarding the exemption of US citizens from the ICC.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had a number of discussions with his EU counterparts about the US government's request for bilateral agreements under Article 98.2 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in the period leading up to the GAER Council on 30 September. At that meeting, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Europe (Peter Hain), agreed Conclusions and General Principles on the handling of the US request, consistent with the ICC Statute.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Student Loans

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what procedures are in place to allow those repaying student loans to obtain up to date balances of the total sum owed.

Margaret Hodge: Borrowers under the pre-1998–99 scheme of mortgage style loans receive annual statements from the Student Loans Company (SLC) showing what has been repaid and the outstanding balance owed.
	For most borrowers under the income-contingent loans scheme, repayments are collected by their employers through deductions from their earnings, with tax and national insurance contributions. These borrowers receive a statement from the SLC after the end of the tax year, once the SLC has received details of what has been collected by the Inland Revenue. As well as the yearly statement, borrowers' payslips contain details of their repayments. If a borrower contacts the SLC, the company can provide an estimate of the amounts that have been repaid and what is outstanding using the information on the borrower's payslips. Borrowers can contact the SLC over the phone for this information.
	Self-employed borrowers receive their statements after making their self-assessment return to the Inland Revenue.
	The SLC is introducing a service by the end of November 2002 for borrowers under the income-contingent loan scheme who have nearly completed repayment of their loan. Based on a projection of earnings from the borrower, the SLC will tell the Inland Revenue when repayments should stop being collected. This is designed to prevent employers collecting too much and the borrower having to obtain a refund.

Higher Education Access

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average extra cost is of a marginal student under the programme of widening access to higher education.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 15 October 2002
	The information requested is not available.
	We are determined to encourage more people from under-represented groups to enter higher education. Through the Excellence Challenge we are spending #190 million over 3 years to raise the attainment and aspirations of young people in some of the most deprived areas of the country. Our AimHigher campaign, which includes a roadshow for schools and colleges in Excellence Challenge areas is promoting the benefits of higher education. We have also introduced significant extra financial help for students who need it, including increasing Access and Hardship Funds fourfold, a child care grant and a travel books and equipment grant for student parents, and, as part of the Excellence Challenge, we have introduced Opportunity Bursaries for young people from low income backgrounds. We have also significantly increased support for part-time students through fee waivers and loans. Additionally the Higher Education Funding Council for England also provides significant funding for widening participation including the postcode premium for institutions which they increased to #41 million this year. Their funding for widening participation totals about #180 million in 2002–03, including student support.

Student Numbers

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average unit cost of capital to support increased student numbers is.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 15 October 2002
	Capital funding for FE colleges is not paid on a cost per student basis, so unit cost figures are not available. Where capital investment is needed for expansion of places, colleges can apply to the Learning and Skills Council for separate capital grants for specific projects. They may also fund capital from revenue funding for students, through borrowing, and through Private Finance Initiative projects. Funding for the Further Education sector included no ear-marked capital in 1997–98; we plan to provide over #250 million in 2003–04.
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England provides capital funding for a variety of purposes, for example for improving poor estates, and providing access for students with disabilities. Higher education institutions are invited to bid for this funding. If capital investment is needed for the expansion of student places, higher education institutions are expected to fund this from recurrent grant, reserves, from charities, endowments or other gifts, through PPP/PFI projects or through borrowing. Our planned funding for the Higher Education sector included ear-marked capital of #256 million in 2001–02, rising to #364 million in 2003–04.

Sponsorships

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the schemes and initiatives sponsored by her Department and its agencies which are not the subject of national roll out, showing (a) the authorities or areas covered by the scheme and (b) the budget of the scheme in the last year for which information is available.

Estelle Morris: Details of area based initiatives operated by my Department are set out below.
	The number of authorities or areas covered by these initiatives is too numerous to list here.
	Therefore, where available, website details are included.
	Budget details listed for each initiative are for financial year 2001–2002.
	
		
			 Area Based Initiative Website Address In year Budget for 2001–2002 (#m's) 
		
		
			 Neighbourhood Nurseries  Not all areas decided yet but will cover 20% of wards selected as those with highest deprivation as per the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Index of multiple deprivation. Or pockets of equivalent deprivation. 46 
			 Sure Start www.surestart.gov.uk 206 
			 Education Action Zones www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/exellence 90 
			 Children's Fund www.cypu.gov.uk 85 
			 Community Champions www.dfes.gov.uk/communitychampions 3 
			 Neighbourhood Support Fund www.dfes.gov.uk/nsf 19

Research (Primates)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the use of primates in research in British universities.

Margaret Hodge: Use of animals for research is regulated by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. This specifies that non-human primates can only be used where there are no alternatives. In addition to regulatory testing to help ensure the safety of medicines, non-human primates are also used for other important areas of fundamental research. For example they contribute to programmes of work relating to Parkinson's disease, visual impairment, stroke, diabetes, disorders of reproduction and vaccine development. Non-human primates were used in only 0.15 per cent. of regulated scientific procedures in 2001. Detailed information is available in the ''Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2001'' which is published by the Stationery Office and is available on the Home Office website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/animalsinsp/index.htm.

Funding

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what impact her Department's new funding options will have on redistributing funding to areas with high rates of poverty and low levels of educational achievement.

David Miliband: In introducing the new funding system we want it to reflect better authorities' differing circumstances and needs. All the options are based on evidence that suggests that authorities with significant deprivation, and in particular poverty, need to spend significantly more to achieve the same results for their children. There are two options in which the main indicator for deprivation—the number of children of parents on income support—is supplemented by the numbers of children of parents in receipt of Working Families' Tax Credit. This picks up those children whose parents are in low paid work, and its aim is to reflect a wider definition of poverty. The distributional impact of the options is set out in the consultation document issued on 8 July by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Top-up Fees

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what plans she has to introduce top-up fees;
	(2)  what plans she has to increase the level of interest charged on student loans;
	(3)  what plans she has to consult students on the review of student support;
	(4)  if she will consider reintroducing targeted maintenance support for those students from the poorest backgrounds;
	(5)  what plans there are to increase the threshold at which students are required to begin repaying their student loans.

Margaret Hodge: We have announced our intention to publish a strategy document setting out our 10-year vision for the development and reform of higher education, including the outcome of the review of student support. The document will be out shortly; it would not be right to pre-empt it here by saying what is or is not planned. Once the document is published there will be opportunity for all interested parties to comment.

Schools Distribution

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many English settlements with a population of 3,000 have (a) one, (b) two, (c) three and (d) four or more (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools by broken down by region.

David Miliband: The information requested is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Child Care Places

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places were created in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002–03 to date broken down by county.

David Miliband: Annex 1 shows the number of childcare places created in each local education authority area in 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03 to date. The available data has been collated from quarterly reports submitted by local authorities' Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships.
	
		Number of childcare places created by Local Authority
		
			 Local Authority 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03(2) 
		
		
			 Barking & Dagenham 523 373 15 
			 Barnet 727 1182 172 
			 Barnsley 451 368 55 
			 Bath & North East Somerset 430 516 53 
			 Bedfordshire(3) 1391 1006 N/K 
			 Bexley 986 487 369 
			 Birmingham 3105 2235 192 
			 Blackburn 578 645 162 
			 Blackpool 730 429 233 
			 Bolton 1203 462 53 
			 Bournemouth 394 396 20 
			 Bracknell Forest 236 503 54 
			 Bradford 7569 1223 91 
			 Brent 754 436 145 
			 Brighton & Hove 779 462 94 
			 Bromley 874 731 15 
			 Buckinghamshire 2767 1613 140 
			 Bury 468 628 32 
			 Calderdale 494 563 61 
			 Cambridgeshire 2208 1807 972 
			 Camden 801 534 0 
			 Cheshire 2987 1606 245 
			 City of Bristol 1023 689 950 
			 City of London 278 49 15 
			 Cornwall 2610 2657 578 
			 Coventry 1212 1142 101 
			 Croydon 1064 913 163 
			 Cumbria 1287 1049 295 
			 Darlington 435 526 223 
			 Derby 661 520 47 
			 Derbyshire 2496 1897 429 
			 Devon 2845 2249 184 
			 Doncaster 1006 597 76 
			 Dorset 712 784 212 
			 Dudley 638 823 252 
			 Durham 1861 1344 144 
			 Ealing 935 1152 108 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 1398 745 203 
			 East Sussex 1697 1699 214 
			 Enfield 593 901 195 
			 Essex 3461 2983 616 
			 Gateshead 791 507 55 
			 Gloucestershire 3350 3390 154 
			 Greenwich 1047 939 163 
			 Hackney 592 821 307 
			 Halton 548 309 88 
			 Hammersmith & Fulham 459 904 29 
			 Hampshire 7599 6322 500 
			 Haringey 1399 188 56 
			 Harrow 466 229 3 
			 Hartlepool 307 231 88 
			 Havering 361 115 17 
			 Herefordshire, County of 509 894 115 
			 Hertfordshire 2781 2650 332 
			 Hillingdon 635 870 44 
			 Hounslow 342 299 71 
			 Isle of Wight 440 472 79 
			 Isles of Scilly 59 60 12 
			 Islington 519 361 23 
			 Kensington & Chelsea 272 167 116 
			 Kent 2668 3822 96 
			 Kingston upon Hull 647 727 997 
			 Kingston upon Thames 714 206 22 
			 Kirklees 1275 1328 83 
			 Knowsley 682 531 84 
			 Lambeth 1474 464 36 
			 Lancashire 3587 4067 375 
			 Leeds 2224 1291 337 
			 Leicester 485 625 48 
			 Leicestershire 1705 1057 2509 
			 Lewisham 350 375 6 
			 Lincolnshire 1412 1814 831 
			 Liverpool 955 1213 119 
			 Luton 1092 923 350 
			 Manchester 1109 1142 87 
			 Medway 619 528 344 
			 Merton 353 298 300 
			 Middlesbrough 540 269 111 
			 Milton Keynes(4) 1137 N/K N/K 
			 NE Lincolnshire 760 344 69 
			 Newbury/West Berkshire 922 589 201 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 664 717 85 
			 Newham 585 598 120 
			 Norfolk 1529 1628 406 
			 North Lincolnshire 187 387 64 
			 North Somerset 747 877 178 
			 North Tyneside 651 408 35 
			 North Yorkshire 2679 1622 177 
			 Northamptonshire 2228 1383 216 
			 Northumberland 797 756 57 
			 Nottingham 663 1026 317 
			 Nottinghamshire 2427 2006 538 
			 Oldham 598 1078 73 
			 Oxfordshire 1486 1350 811 
			 Peterborough 1241 843 435 
			 Plymouth 1520 357 512 
			 Poole 301 210 117 
			 Portsmouth 673 960 67 
			 Reading 999 424 74 
			 Redbridge 485 354 19 
			 Redcar & Cleveland 347 454 101 
			 Richmond upon Thames 828 736 53 
			 Rochdale 752 564 185 
			 Rotherham 805 511 70 
			 Rutland 316 83 15 
			 Salford 721 1116 180 
			 Sandwell 551 536 89 
			 Sefton 495 401 174 
			 Sheffield 1212 1288 90 
			 Shropshire 914 923 122 
			 Slough 304 356 133 
			 Solihull 738 654 142 
			 Somerset 1638 2749 212 
			 South Gloucestershire 595 582 136 
			 South Tyneside 385 185 73 
			 Southampton 672 727 83 
			 Southend 421 288 25 
			 Southwark 940 719 53 
			 ST Helens 479 375 154 
			 Staffordshire 2313 918 359 
			 Stockport 781 424 77 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 380 538 98 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 491 620 63 
			 Suffolk 1009 1427 388 
			 Sunderland 671 377 90 
			 Surrey 3543 2322 1874 
			 Sutton 875 640 14 
			 Swindon (Thamesdown) 924 437 214 
			 Tameside 513 433 283 
			 Telford & Wrekin 644 348 183 
			 Thurrock 510 239 64 
			 Torbay 391 251 121 
			 Tower Hamlets 356 247 72 
			 Trafford 605 1023 36 
			 Wakefield 533 862 174 
			 Walsall 910 671 286 
			 Waltham Forest 834 975 40 
			 Wandsworth 464 303 182 
			 Warrington 556 298 135 
			 Warwickshire 754 1160 379 
			 West Sussex 2989 1817 235 
			 Westminster 1044 327 5 
			 Wigan 700 989 360 
			 Wiltshire 1734 2149 305 
			 Windsor & Maidenhead 812 1248 108 
			 Wirral 747 684 91 
			 Wokingham 590 690 204 
			 Wolverhampton 625 784 140 
			 Worcestershire 2376 1927 270 
			 York 1123 1073 139 
		
	
	Notes:
	(2) Figures for 2002–03 are for the period April to June 2002
	(3) Bedfordshire—figures for 2002–03 have not been finalised
	(4) Milton Keynes—figures for 2001–02 and 2002–03 have not been finalised

Post-16 Education

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if the study commissioned by the National Rates Advisory Group of the Learning and Skills Committee into the costs of disadvantage in post-16 education has been considered by the group.

Margaret Hodge: The work of the Learning and Skill Council's National Rates Advisory Group relates to the operational responsibilities of the Council. John Harwood, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member providing the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Small Schools Fund

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much of the Small Schools Fund was spent in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002–03 to date, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: The following table shows the original amounts allocated from the Small Schools Fund and the amounts finally accepted by each local education authority (LEA) for 2000–2001, 2001–2002 and 2002–2003. The table also show how much of their final allocation each LEA spent in 2000–2001. Expenditure figures for 2001–2002 and 2002–2003 are not available. The figures include both Government grant and LEA contributions.
	
		
			 Expenditure and allocations on Small Schools Fund 2000–2003  2000–2001  2001–2002  2002–2003 
			  Original Allocations Final Allocations Expenditure Original Allocations Final Allocations Original Allocations Final Allocations 
		
		
			  # # # # # # # 
			 201 City of London – – – 0 0 0 0 
			 202 Camden 152,892 152,892 152,892 136,245 136,245 136,000 136,000 
			 203 Greenwich 205,876 202,845 183,596 216,390 216,390 248,000 248,000 
			 204 Hackney 110,504 121,368 119,687 136,245 136,245 128,000 128,000 
			 205 Hammersmith 116,952 116,952 114,248 136,245 136,245 144,000 144,000 
			 206 Islington 106,484 106,484 106,484 120,216 120,216 112,000 112,000 
			 207 Kensington & Chelsea 82,862 82,862 80,486 88,159 88,159 104,000 104,000 
			 208 Lambeth 233,647 233,647 233,344 216,390 216,390 208,000 208,000 
			 209 Lewisham 159,211 159,211 158,298 192,346 192,346 192,000 192,000 
			 210 Southwark 167,894 167,894 164,687 208,375 208,375 208,000 208,000 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 199,750 199,750 182,371 200,361 200,361 200,000 200,000 
			 212 Wandsworth 191,259 191,259 191,259 192,346 192,346 192,000 192,000 
			 213 Westminster 159,147 159,147 141,312 160,289 160,289 160,000 160,000 
			 301 Barking 33,961 33,961 33,202 32,058 32,058 40,000 40,000 
			 302 Barnet 218,451 25,000 17,191 168,303 168,303 184,000 184,000 
			 303 Bexley 116,759 93,918 74,722 104,188 104,188 112,000 112,000 
			 304 Brent 91,546 – – 128,231 0 104,000 0 
			 305 Bromley 125,313 125,313 90,580 144,260 144,260 168,000 168,000 
			 306 Croydon 195,279 192,348 187,822 216,390 216,390 224,000 224,000 
			 307 Ealing 89,631 89,631 75,000 136,245 136,245 144,000 144,000 
			 308 Enfield 68,180 68,180 47,863 88,159 88,159 88,000 88,000 
			 309 Haringey 129,463 129,463 89,562 136,245 136,245 128,000 128,000 
			 310 Harrow 44,558 44,558 44,372 56,101 56,101 48,000 48,000 
			 311 Havering 91,288 91,288 88,652 104,188 104,188 112,000 112,000 
			 312 Hillingdon 175,870 175,870 165,424 160,289 160,289 136,000 136,000 
			 313 Hounslow 144,272 144,272 139,083 160,289 160,289 160,000 160,000 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 95,436 73,728 73,728 72,130 72,130 64,000 64,000 
			 315 Merton 190,552 157,989 156,498 168,303 168,303 160,000 160,000 
			 316 Newham 55,606 55,606 53,254 112,202 112,202 120,000 120,000 
			 317 Redbridge 42,581 41,061 40,555 72,130 72,130 72,000 72,000 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 101,692 101,692 92,972 96,173 96,173 96,000 96,000 
			 319 Sutton 80,691 80,691 79,334 88,159 88,159 80,000 80,000 
			 320 Waltham Forest 125,185 106,227 101,815 168,303 168,303 176,000 176,000 
			 330 Birmingham 777,418 758,038 750,857 913,645 913,645 992,000 992,000 
			 331 Coventry 220,751 220,751 204,557 232,418 232,418 272,000 272,000 
			 332 Dudley 106,355 – – 144,260 144,260 136,000 136,000 
			 333 Sandwell 273,606 – – 256,462 256,462 216,000 216,000 
			 334 Solihull 152,763 152,763 115,859 136,245 136,245 128,000 128,000 
			 335 Walsall 280,183 280,183 274,330 232,418 232,418 280,000 280,000 
			 336 Wolverhampton 273,864 273,864 265,098 288,519 288,519 280,000 280,000 
			 340 Knowsley 171,915 171,915 171,913 152,274 152,274 136,000 136,000 
			 341 Liverpool 538,979 538,979 517,843 536,967 536,967 576,000 576,000 
			 342St. Helens 178,427 128,498 128,498 200,361 200,361 184,000 184,000 
			 343 Sefton 329,019 329,019 297,083 328,591 328,591 344,000 344,000 
			 344 Wirral 218,901 203,811 188,407 280,505 280,505 328,000 328,000 
			 350 Bolton 292,887 272,546 245,600 304,548 304,548 344,000 344,000 
			 351 Bury 182,512 136,924 132,286 200,361 0 192,000 192,000 
			 352 Manchester 456,504 456,504 424,275 424,765 424,765 424,000 424,000 
			 353 Oldham 297,164 297,164 297,164 280,505 280,505 320,000 320,000 
			 354 Rochdale 200,007 200,007 197,487 256,462 256,462 272,000 272,000 
			 355 Salford 255,227 255,227 241,105 384,692 384,692 272,000 272,000 
			 356 Stockport 329,147 329,147 318,899 376,678 330,000 384,000 384,000 
			 357 Tameside 248,328 240,460 214,582 264,476 264,476 256,000 256,000 
			 358 Trafford 224,899 224,899 170,628 224,404 224,404 224,000 224,000 
			 359 Wigan 363,110 363,110 353,318 368,664 368,664 376,000 376,000 
			 370 Barnsley 354,169 344,182 304,414 288,519 288,519 280,000 280,000 
			 371 Doncaster 295,057 295,057 274,403 304,548 304,548 344,000 344,000 
			 372 Rotherham 479,611 479,611 466,702 440,793 440,793 464,000 464,000 
			 373 Sheffield 479,546 479,546 476,849 416,750 416,750 376,000 376,000 
			 380 Bradford 1,137,183 1,137,183 1,016,003 1,049,890 1,049,890 432,000 432,000 
			 381 Calderdale 430,583 423,738 398,452 384,692 384,692 400,000 400,000 
			 382 Kirklees 695,956 689,235 688,004 673,212 673,212 704,000 704,000 
			 383 Leeds 689,249 689,249 670,427 657,183 657,183 768,000 768,000 
			 384 Wakefield 562,409 533,623 533,623 536,967 536,967 544,000 544,000 
			 390 Gateshead 348,170 348,170 339,090 328,591 328,591 336,000 336,000 
			 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 331,126 – – 328,591 328,591 376,000 376,000 
			 392 North Tyneside 205,876 205,876 205,876 232,418 232,418 216,000 216,000 
			 393 South Tyneside 184,875 184,875 184,712 224,404 224,404 208,000 208,000 
			 394 Sunderland 272,208 272,208 269,093 320,577 320,577 328,000 328,000 
			 420 Isles of Scilly 42,452 42,452 41,963 40,072 40,072 40,000 40,000 
			 800 Bath & NE Somerset 390,559 370,023 369,674 376,678 376,678 392,000 392,000 
			 801 City of Bristol 446,164 – – 544,981 0 520,000 50,000 
			 802 North Somerset 312,038 303,658 303,658 264,476 264,476 280,000 280,000 
			 803 South Gloucestershire 356,725 337,418 297,204 320,577 320,577 328,000 328,000 
			 805 Hartlepool 89,181 89,181 76,960 96,173 96,173 104,000 104,000 
			 806 Middlesbrough 78,392 - - 80,144 0 88,000 0 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 165,209 163,124 160,730 168,303 168,303 168,000 168,000 
			 808 Stockton-on-Tees 231,154 224,800 202,912 192,346 192,346 232,000 232,000 
			 810 Kingston-upon-Hull 150,977 148,702 141,515 200,361 200,361 200,000 200,000 
			 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 724,048 724,048 714,257 713,284 713,284 712,000 712,000 
			 812 North East Lincolnshire 184,682 184,682 180,073 160,289 160,289 208,000 208,000 
			 813 North Lincolnshire 347,978 347,978 306,192 336,606 336,606 328,000 328,000 
			 815 North Yorkshire 2,194,221 2,194,221 1,944,971 2,131,837 1,975,837 2,168,000 2,168,000 
			 816 York 305,397 302,513 269,305 264,476 264,476 248,000 248,000 
			 820 Bedfordshire 1,115,169 914,687 914,686 1,170,106 1,170,106 1,184,000 1,184,000 
			 821 Luton 186,660 177,977 166,399 168,303 168,303 144,000 144,000 
			 825 Buckinghamshire 921,690 921,690 921,690 1,001,803 1,001,803 960,000 960,000 
			 826 Milton Keynes 326,913 326,913 322,154 384,692 384,692 368,000 368,000 
			 830 Derbyshire 2,151,448 2,151,448 2,014,807 1,907,433 1,907,433 1,944,000 1,944,000 
			 831 Derby 259,054 259,054 253,911 304,548 304,548 288,000 288,000 
			 835 Dorset 916,384 916,384 867,846 937,688 937,688 920,000 920,000 
			 836 Poole 44,558 44,557 43,979 48,087 48,087 56,000 56,000 
			 837 Bournemouth 33,961 33,961 1,363 40,072 40,072 32,000 32,000 
			 840 Durham 1,537,469 1,537,469 1,537,469 1,578,842 1,578,842 1,536,000 1,536,000 
			 841 Darlington 100,035 100,035 92,185 128,231 128,231 120,000 120,000 
			 845 East Sussex 732,474 732,474 727,479 721,298 721,298 720,000 720,000 
			 846 Brighton & Hove 188,895 141,137 140,750 192,346 192,346 200,000 200,000 
			 850 Hampshire 1,656,143 1,048,681 963,312 1,739,130 1,739,130 1,744,000 1,744,000 
			 851 Portsmouth 136,039 136,039 136,039 160,289 160,289 160,000 160,000 
			 852 Southampton 216,794 209,768 209,768 248,447 248,447 232,000 232,000 
			 855 Leicestershire 1,070,996 1,070,996 1,025,047 1,065,919 1,065,919 1,024,000 1,024,000 
			 856 Leicester 186,596 - - 184,332 0 168,000 0 
			 857 Rutland 133,676 34,250 34,250 120,216 120,216 120,000 120,000 
			 860 Staffordshire 1,560,513 1,560,513 1,558,341 1,610,900 1,610,900 1,640,000 1,640,000 
			 861 Stoke-on-Trent 259,569 238,948 233,847 336,606 336,606 296,000 296,000 
			 865 Wiltshire 1,313,519 1,190,064 1,183,881 1,282,308 1,282,308 1,288,000 1,288,000 
			 866 Swindon 256,818 256,818 256,818 240,433 240,433 200,000 200,000 
			 867 Bracknell Forest 80,691 80,691 68,688 104,188 104,188 112,000 112,000 
			 868 Windsor & Maidenhead 333,039 313,827 299,133 352,635 352,635 352,000 352,000 
			 869 West Berkshire 369,429 369,429 335,934 384,692 384,692 384,000 384,000 
			 870 Reading 144,401 144,401 127,933 176,317 176,317 192,000 192,000 
			 871 Slough 95,630 89,867 83,607 128,231 128,231 128,000 128,000 
			 872 Wokingham 256,690 256,690 239,677 208,375 208,375 232,000 232,000 
			 873 Cambridgeshire 915,114 915,114 883,953 937,688 937,688 944,000 944,000 
			 874 Peterborough 146,572 101,806 99,590 160,289 160,289 168,000 168,000 
			 875 Cheshire 1,464,112 277,000 262,222 1,346,424 1,346,424 1,392,000 1,392,000 
			 876 Halton 240,095 240,095 236,840 280,505 280,505 288,000 288,000 
			 877 Warrington 271,499 271,499 271,293 232,418 232,418 256,000 256,000 
			 878 Devon 1,944,301 1,548,070 1,509,227 1,931,477 1,681,477 1,896,000 1,896,000 
			 879 Plymouth 238,118 164,309 159,489 296,534 165,278 336,000 170,000 
			 880 Torbay 106,162 104,070 94,837 104,188 104,188 104,000 104,000 
			 881 Essex 1,988,731 1,988,731 1,968,861 1,867,361 1,867,361 1,896,000 1,896,000 
			 882 Southend-on-Sea 80,755 80,755 80,755 88,159 88,159 80,000 80,000 
			 883 Thurrock 129,269 129,269 129,269 104,188 104,188 128,000 128,000 
			 884 Herefordshire 621,713 621,713 613,176 601,082 601,082 608,000 608,000 
			 885 Worcestershire 1,223,823 1,223,823 1,223,823 1,274,294 1,274,294 1,288,000 1,288,000 
			 886 Kent 2,031,119 2,012,823 1,983,517 2,067,722 2,067,722 2,080,000 2,080,000 
			 887 Medway Towns 188,895 180,235 165,708 240,433 240,433 264,000 264,000 
			 888 Lancashire 2,607,775 2,522,852 2,421,449 2,708,876 2,708,876 2,704,000 2,704,000 
			 889 Blackburn with Darwen 216,794 216,794 198,784 240,433 240,433 224,000 224,000 
			 890 Blackpool 65,752 64,233 64,230 80,144 80,144 80,000 80,000 
			 891 Nottinghamshire 1,685,810 1,430,555 1,375,308 1,498,698 1,498,698 1,544,000 1,544,000 
			 892 Nottingham City 479,033 479,033 450,034 448,808 448,808 464,000 464,000 
			 893 Shropshire 920,726 661,800 661,800 857,544 857,544 880,000 880,000 
			 894 Telford & Wrekin 286,439 286,439 286,429 280,505 280,505 280,000 280,000 
			 908 Cornwall 1,506,564 1,506,564 1,506,564 1,410,539 1,410,539 1,400,000 1,400,000 
			 909 Cumbria 1,986,368 1,459,416 1,454,049 1,907,433 1,907,433 1,928,000 1,928,000 
			 916 Gloucestershire 1,381,764 1,220,767 1,209,687 1,378,481 1,378,481 1,440,000 1,440,000 
			 919 Hertfordshire 2,081,032 2,081,032 2,079,207 1,851,332 1,851,332 1,792,000 1,792,000 
			 921 Isle of Wight 398,405 398,405 238,852 408,736 408,736 408,000 408,000 
			 925 Lincolnshire 1,875,156 1,798,418 1,773,608 1,867,361 1,867,361 1,832,000 1,832,000 
			 926 Norfolk 2,313,023 2,233,023 2,233,023 2,179,924 2,179,924 2,168,000 2,168,000 
			 928 Northamptonshire 1,527,435 1,164,905 1,152,800 1,538,770 1,538,770 1,520,000 1,520,000 
			 929 Northumberland 1,331,063 1,055,366 1,050,379 1,306,351 1,306,351 1,328,000 1,328,000 
			 931 Oxfordshire 1,528,272 1,528,272 1,524,516 1,546,784 1,546,784 1,608,000 1,608,000 
			 933 Somerset 1,383,549 1,383,549 1,383,549 1,370,467 1,370,467 1,360,000 1,360,000 
			 935 Suffolk 1,757,432 1,381,877 1,381,680 1,739,130 1,739,130 1,728,000 1,728,000 
			 936 Surrey 1,468,839 1,073,063 1,073,063 1,474,654 1,474,654 1,520,000 1,520,000 
			 937 Warwickshire 1,014,700 1,014,700 1,012,425 1,081,948 1,081,948 1,008,000 1,008,000 
			 938 West Sussex 1,048,532 1,048,532 1,034,813 1,081,948 1,081,948 1,136,000 1,136,000 
			  
			  79,999,945 72,201,944 69,836,946 80,000,000 78,278,018 80,000,000 79,004,000

DEFENCE

Software

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is towards using open source software; and what percentage is used in his Department.

Lewis Moonie: Software applications used in the Ministry of Defence are selected on their ability to meet business needs, taking full account of value for money, long-term viability, security and interoperability. The MOD currently has no explicit policy on the use of open source software, but does follow the Government Open Source Software policy published and announced in Parliament on 22 July 2002. This policy is available on the e-Envoy website (www.e-envoy.gov.uk) or the Office of Government Commerce website (www.ogc.gov.uk). A record of open source software in use across the Department is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Public Consultations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what public consultations have been commenced by his Department since 1 April; and what the (a) closing date and (b) website address of each were.

Lewis Moonie: None.

Strategic Sealift

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, 
	(1)  pursuant to his answer of 9 March 2001, Official Report, column 359W, on strategic sealift, if he will list the reasons for his issuing a ministerial direction; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 9 March 2001, Official Report, column 359W, on strategic sealift, if he will place the advice of his accounting officer of 8 March 2001 in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The reasons for the Ministerial Direction on the Roll-On Roll-Off ferry (RORO) Strategic Sealift are as follows. In October 2000, AWSR Shipping Ltd were selected as the preferred bidder in the PFI competition to provide the Ministry of Defence with a strategic sealift service of six ships. Their bid involved subcontracts with the German company Flensburger for four ships and Harland & Wolff for two. The bid had the particular advantage of early delivery. However, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, (Mr. Hoon) announced on 9 March 2001, Official Report, column 359W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) difficulties arose in the detailed commercial arrangements which could have threatened the timely completion of the PFI negotiations and early delivery of the service to the MOD. My right hon. Friend, Mr. Hoon, therefore decided that the MOD would take over the commercial shipbuilding contract with H&W, as part of the overall PFI arrangements. The contract would be managed by AWSR and on delivery of the ships to them, AWSR would provide the full six ship service on PFI terms.
	This approach was not foreseen as part of the original PFI deal and officials were concerned about the potential risks to the MOD arising from the decision. Ministers judged that, on balance, these risks were outweighed by the risk of losing the benefits of the original AWSR bid involving H&W, including timely delivery.
	The procedures surrounding Ministerial Directions and the responsibilities of Accounting Officers in this area are set out in the Accounting Officer Memorandum. The Memorandum requires an Accounting Officer in receipt of a Direction from a Minister to comply with his instructions. The Accounting Officer is then required to inform the Treasury of what has occurred and should communicate the papers to the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) without delay. On receipt of such material it is for the C&AG to determine what action to take. These procedures exist to protect the relationship between Ministers and officials while at the same time enabling the C&AG to consider, on behalf of Parliament, whether further investigation is required.
	The circumstances surrounding the RORO Direction were duly communicated to the Comptroller and Auditor General and we understand that the C&AG subsequently conveyed them to the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts. As the established procedures have been correctly followed, I am withholding the advice tendered by my Accounting Officer on 8 March 2001 in accordance with Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, relating to internal discussion and advice.

Nuclear Weapons

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 September 2002, Official Report, column 322W, on nuclear weapons accident exercises (a) what assessment has taken place of the exercises and (b) what recommendations have been put forward for the nuclear weapons accident exercises his Department held at (i) Convoy NAR team standardisation and (ii) RAF Station NAR team standardisation; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Convoy NAR team Standardisation Exercise held in Leicestershire in August and the RAF Station NAR team Standardisation Exercise held in Northamptonshire in September were both assessed as SATISFACTORY. A number of recommendations have been made which include arrangements for the reception and interface with emergency services, the deployment of Convoy resources, command and control, and media handling issues. The UK/US Table Top Exercise held in Norfolk in October was not an assessed exercise. The RAF NAR team Standardisation Exercise in Suffolk has taken place but the assessment report has yet to be written.

Royal Military Music School

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had in the last year, on the future of the Royal Military Music School, Kneller Hall, Twickenham; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: There have been no Ministerial discussions on the future of the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall within the last year. However, the school is part of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (RMAS) budgetary grouping and the Army Training and Recruiting Agency, which is responsible for RMAS and Kneller Hall, are examining options for the future provision of the services provided there. Once a way forward on these is agreed, interested parties will be kept informed.

Fire Service

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will make a statement about the Defence Fire Services PPP and Fire Study 2000;
	(2)  what savings he anticipates as a result of the PPP on Defence Fire Services;
	(3)  when he intends to announce the outcome of the study in the prioritisation of air base services including the Defence Fire Service.

Adam Ingram: The Airfield Support Services Project (ASSP) is seeking to achieve the most viable and cost effective solution for the provision of airfield support, and wider fire services, to the Ministry of Defence world-wide, without compromising operational effectiveness or safety. The options include both PPP and in-house solutions.
	The Fire Study 2000 is specifically to review the current organisation of the Defence Fire Services and to develop an optimum strategy for meeting the Department's current and future requirements for Fire Risk management. The results of Fire Study 2000 will inform the in-house Public Sector Comparator (PSC) for ASSP.
	The Airfield Support Services Project is currently in the detailed assessment phase. The outcome of this phase of the work will provide a clearer view of the expected savings and benefits of the various options. A decision on the outcome of ASSP is expected to be announced in the second half of 2003.

Fire Service

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what use will be made of (a) Defence Fire Services and (b) RAF Fire Service in the event of a local authority firemen's strike.

Adam Ingram: Defence Fire Service personnel have been providing advice and training to the Armed Forces as part of the contingency preparations for a potential national firemen's strike. They will continue to provide advice to Military Commanders deployed on Op FRESCO, should there be a strike, undertake duties at military headquarters in support of the deployment and will also contribute towards the provision of fire cover on the Ministry of Defence estate. Elements of the RAF Fire Service who have specialist skills will, in the event of a strike, be deployed around the country to assist in the provision of emergency fire and rescue cover.

Fire Service

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about Operation Fresco military assistance to the civil powers in the event of a local authority firemen's strike; and what effect this would have on military capabilities.

Adam Ingram: The Armed Forces role during any strike by firemen would be to provide emergency cover, thus seeking to save lives and ensure that essential services were maintained. They would not be capable of replicating the current fire fighting capability. Assistance would be provided to and at the request of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and not the civil power.
	Obviously, Op FRESCO would place an added burden on Service personnel who have been particularly busy over the last few years performing their primary duties. Any deployment to provide emergency fire and rescue cover would impact on their ability to continue those duties, but emergency cover would, as far as possible, be maintained for as long as the strike continued and balanced with other demands on military resources.

Fire Service

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost to the public purse for each of the last five years of (a) the Defence Fire Service, (b) the RAF Fire Service and (c) the RN Fire Service.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Fire Service

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the USAF about the privatisation of Defence Fire Services at US Air bases in the UK;
	(2)  what steps he has taken to ensure that the US Air Force is content with the proposed contractorisation of fire services at air bases in the UK.

Adam Ingram: Ministry of Defence officials have been in discussion with US Air Force officials about the Airfield Support Services Project from its early stages. The dialogue is ongoing.
	The US Air Force requirements were included in the Invitation to Tender, against which the Consortia were invited to bid. Every effort will be made to ensure that the Project meets their requirements.

Fire Service

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  which local authority fire services are assisting commercial companies in the preparation of bids for the privatisation of Defence fire services;
	(2)  under what authority the West Midlands Fire Service is assisting one of the consortia bidding for the Defence Fire Services contract.

Adam Ingram: West Midlands Fire Service is working as a partner of one of the Consortia bidding for the Airfield Support Services Project contract.
	It would be for the West Midland Fire Service to comment on their relationship with any commercial organisation.

Belfast City Cemetery

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the re-instating of the headstones of the war graves situated in Belfast City Cemetery which were removed after being vandalised in 1979; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Ministers take a close interest in the proper maintenance of war graves wherever they are, but this is a matter for Belfast City Council and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Fire Study 2000

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what savings in costs are envisaged in the Fire Study 2000.

Adam Ingram: This information is not yet available. Fire Study 2000 continues to be developed to inform a robust Public Sector Comparator for the Airfield Support Services Project. When the Study is complete we will have a clearer view of the potential savings.

Parliamentary Questions

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 October, Ref 36810, what reasons underlay the length of time needed to provide a substantive reply.

Lewis Moonie: I apologise for the lengthy delay in replying which was due to an administrative error.

Parliamentary Questions

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the written questions asked of him between (a) 1 to 30 June 2001, (b) 1 to 31 July 2001, (c) 1 to 30 September 2001, (d) 1 to 31 October 2001, (e) 1 to 30 November 2001, (f) 1 to 31 December 2001, (g) 1 to 31 January 2002, (h) 1 to 28 February 2002, (i) 1 to 31 March 2002 and (j) 1 to 30 April 2002 that had not received a substantive answer by 30 April; and if he will state (i) the name of the hon. Member asking the question and (ii) the reasons the question had not received a substantive answer.

Lewis Moonie: holding reply 2 May 2002
	The number of questions that have not received a substantive answer is set out in the table below.
	
		
			 Month No still to receive a substantive reply 
		
		
			 1–20 June 2001 Nil 
			 1–31 July 2001 1 
			 1–30 September 2001 0 
			 1–31 October 2001 2 
			 1–30 November 2001 3 
			 1–31 December 2001 1 
			 1–31 January 2002 13 
			 1–28 February 2002 25 
			 1–31 March 2002 29 
			 1–30 April 2002 11 
		
	
	Officials are working to provide substantive answers to the questions as soon as possible. In some cases the information is not immediately available in the form requested, and additional time is required to answer.
	Ministers aim to answer named day written questions on the day named and ordinary written questions within five working days.
	The name of the hon. Member asking the question could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

HAARP Programme

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the HAARP programme; and what contribution Britain is making to it.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence is fully aware of the HAARP project. However the MOD has made no specific assessment of the project for defence purposes nor has it contributed towards it.

Military Trucks

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the contract for military trucks.

Lewis Moonie: Bids for the military trucks contract were received from four companies on 25 June 2002 and are currently being assessed.

Staff Relocation

Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the decision to agree in principle the relocation of DSTL staff from Winfrith has taken into account the economic impact (a) on rural areas and (b) of supporting locally based defence contractors in the South Dorset area.

Lewis Moonie: A Regional Impact Assessment was carried out by staff in the office of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Director General Management and Organisation. The assessment concluded that the loss of approximately one hundred jobs from the Winfrith area, though regrettable, should not significantly affect the area in the longer term. The plans do though, offer significant benefits to Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and MOD in terms of improved technical synergy and operational effectiveness and also to staff through better career development opportunities.

Staff Relocation

Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research his Department has conducted to assess the cost benefits to be gained from moving DSTL staff from Winfrith to Portsdown Main; and what evidence has been gathered to prove the scientific benefits of co-location of staff.

Lewis Moonie: Options for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) site rationalisation were considered on the issues of improved technical synergy and operational effectiveness and on affordability. The selected option demonstrates the greatest improvements in technical synergy and operational efficiency while remaining affordable.
	To examine the financial benefits, an investment appraisal model was produced. To meet Treasury requirements financial modelling has to cover a 25-year period. Dstl plans fully meet all Ministry of Defence and Treasury financial targets. This appraisal has been subject to an independent review by the MOD Senior Economic Adviser.
	Studies show that to preserve, sustain and develop the essential technical capabilities found in Dstl a critical mass of staff is required that cannot be achieved with the current dispersed organisation. Geographical fragmentation of the workforce inhibits our ability to build technical excellence and the dispersion of staff significantly degrades the effectiveness and efficiency of the organisation.

Dartmoor National Park

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will renegotiate the leasing arrangements with the Duchy of Cornwall to exclude the two highest points in the Dartmoor National Park for live firing purposes.

Lewis Moonie: The implications of the Ministry of Defence's use of Yes Tor and High Willhays are currently under consideration and officials will meet shortly with Duchy representatives to discuss the position.

Gulf War

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the pension award made to the former Territorial Army medical auxiliary Shaun Rusling following illness he suffered after the Gulf War.

Lewis Moonie: Ex-Reserve Forces personnel who have served during the Gulf conflict, and who are injured or fall ill as a result of that Service, may be entitled to benefits under the War Pensions Scheme and the Reserve Forces (Attributable Benefits etc) Regulations. It would not be appropriate for the Ministry of Defence to disclose details of the benefits awarded to Mr. Shaun Rusling under these schemes, as they are of a personal and private nature. I am therefore withholding them in accordance with Exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Afghanistan

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) murders and (b) kidnappings have taken place in Kabul in each month since ISAF was established.

Adam Ingram: We do not hold the information requested.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Housing (Right to Buy)

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place a copy of the research commissioned by his Department by the universities of Bristol and Birmingham into the impact of the February 1999 changes to the limits on right to buy discounts in the Library.

Tony McNulty: A copy of the report will be placed in the library of the House when it is published. This is expected to be early in 2003.

Alconbury Airfield

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will decide on the Planning Inspectorate's report concerning the proposed development at Alconbury Airfield, Cambridgeshire.

Tony McNulty: The Inspector's report has not yet been sent to the Deputy Prime Minister for decision. At this stage, therefore, it is not possible to say when the decision will be issued.

Fire Service

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) women and (b) members of ethnic minorities are in the Fire Service; and what targets have been set in this area.
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Christopher Leslie: As at 31 March 2002 there were 6,277 women and 1,040 staff from minority ethnic background in the fire service in England and Wales as a whole. The following table shows the breakdown by service areas:
	
		
			  Operational Staff (Uniformed) (Wholetime and Retained) Control Staff (Uniformed) Total Uniformed Staff Non Uniformed Total 
		
		
			 Women 806 1223 2029 4248 6277 
			 Percentage of total employed in service area 1.7% 80% 4% 59% 11.0% 
			 Minority Ethnic Staff 698 13 711 329 1040 
			 Percentage of total employed in service area 1.5% 0.85% 1.4% 4.6% 1.8% 
		
	
	Fire service targets are to work towards 15 per cent. of operational staff to be women by 2009, and 7 per cent. of the uniformed and 8 per cent. of the non uniformed work force to be from minority ethnic background, also by 2009.

Fire Service

Mark Oaten: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many incidents firemen were called out to for each of the last five years, broken down by fire authority.

Christopher Leslie: I have placed the information on incidents attended by Local Authority Fire Brigades in the UK for the last five years for which data are available in the library of the House.

Local Government Finance

Steve Webb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which elements of the local government funding formula are based on data derived from the Census; and what are, for each of the main local government spending blocks that use such data, (a) the latest sub-population estimate used for South Gloucestershire Unitary Authority in the most recent settlement and (b) the corresponding estimate from the 2001 census.

Christopher Leslie: The information requested is given in the table below. The most recent settlement, for the year 2002–03, used population estimates as at 30 June 2000. The corresponding figures for 30 June 2001, derived from the 2001 census, are also given.
	
		
			 South Gloucestershire Population as at 30 June Population group used in 2002–3 formulae for service block 
			 (rounded to the nearest hundred) 2001 2000 Education PSS(5) Police Fire Highways Maintenance EPCS(6) 
		
		
			 Total resident population 246000 247900 Y Y Y Y Y Y 
			 Resident population aged 0 to 4 15200 15800 Y  
			 Resident population aged 0 to 15 51100 51200  Y 
			 Resident population aged 0 to 17 57100 56700 Y Y 
			 Resident population aged 5 to 10 19900 20000 Y  
			 Resident population aged 11 to 15 16000 15400 Y  
			 Resident population aged 16 to 24 23600 23400 Y  
			 Resident population aged 18 to 64 153400 156300  Y 
			 Resident population aged 65 to 74 19900 19700  Y 
			 Resident population aged 75 to 84 11800 11300  Y 
			 Resident population aged 11 and over 210900 212100 Y  
			 Resident population aged 65 and over 35500 34900  Y 
			 Resident population aged 85 and over 3900 4000  Y 
			 The population of working age(7) 147300 150200  Y Y   Y 
			 Resident males aged 18 to 64 76600 79900  Y Y   Y 
			 Resident females aged 18 to 59 70700 70300  Y Y   Y 
			 Resident males aged 0 1400 1500  YY 
			 Resident males aged 1 to 4 6500 6700  YY 
			 Resident males aged 5 to 9 8500 8500  YY 
			 Resident males aged 10 to 14 8400 8000  YY 
			 Resident males aged 15 to 19 7600 7000  YY 
			 Resident males aged 20 to 24 6200 6600  YY 
			 Resident males aged 25 to 29 7600 8700  YY 
			 Resident males aged 30 to 34 9700 10900  YY 
			 Resident males aged 35 to 39 10800 11300  YY 
			 Resident males aged 40 to 44 9200 9200  YY 
			 Resident males aged 45 to 49 7900 7900  YY 
			 Resident males aged 50 to 54 8600 9000  YY 
			 Resident males aged 55 to 59 7700 7400  YY 
			 Resident males aged 60 to 64 6100 6200  YY 
			 Resident males aged 65 to 69 5200 5200  YY 
			 Resident males aged 70 to 74 4300 4300  YY 
			 Resident females aged 0 1400 1500  YY 
			 Resident females aged 1 to 4 6000 6200  YY 
			 Resident females aged 5 to 9 8000 8300  YY 
			 Resident females aged 10 to 14 7900 7600  YY 
			 Resident females aged 15 to 19 6700 6500  YY 
			 Resident females aged 20 to 24 6200 6200  YY 
			 Resident females aged 25 to 29 7900 8300  YY 
			 Resident females aged 30 to 34 10200 10400  YY 
			 Resident females aged 35 to 39 10800 10500  YY 
			 Resident females aged 40 to 44 8900 8500  YY 
			 Resident females aged 45 to 49 8100 7800  YY 
			 Resident females aged 50 to 54 8600 8600  YY 
			 Resident females aged 55 to 59 7700 7500  YY 
			 Resident females aged 60 to 64 6100 6100  YY 
			 Resident females aged 65 to 69 5600 5700  YY 
			 Resident females aged 70 to 74 4700 4600  YY 
		
	
	(5) Personal Social Services
	(6) Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services
	(7) Resident population of working age = resident males aged 18 to 64 plus resident females aged 18 to 59

Poultry Units

Anthony Steen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will issue planning guidance to local authorities concerning the erection of mobile and static free-range poultry units.

Tony McNulty: We have no plans to issue specific planning guidance on this issue. Advice about agriculture-related development, including temporary agricultural structures, is contained in Annex C of Planning Policy Guidance Note 7, The Countryside.

Disability Facilities Grant

Vincent Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the eligibility criteria for disability facilities grant.

Tony McNulty: Local housing authorities have a statutory duty under the Housing Grants, Regeneration and Construction Act 1996 to offer mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) to homeowners and tenants in both the private and social rented sectors who require adaptations to help them live independently in their homes. The range of purposes for which the grants are available are set out at section 23(1) of the 1996 Act.
	In June the Government issued a consultative document, Housing Renewal Guidance, which contains more detail and guidance on DFG eligibility at annex D. A copy of the guidance has been placed in the library of the House.

Rough Sleepers

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many under-16s are living rough in (a) West Sussex and (b) London; and what plans he has to reduce this number.

Barbara Roche: As far as we are aware, our information which includes street counts and client lists, suggests that there are no under 16s sleeping rough. Voluntary sector workers are highly skilled and, if they knew of a child under the age of 16 sleeping rough, they would immediately liaise with the local police and local authority social services department.
	However, the Government is aware that there are a large number of children who run away each year. The SEU is shortly publishing a report which considers the immediate safety of young runaways and examines the policies and services available to young runaways or those at risk of running.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also worked closely with the Connexions Service to produce guidance for homelessness agencies working with vulnerable young people to deliver effective services for 13 to 19 year-olds.

Vacant Council Houses

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many vacant council houses, by local authority area, there are in West Sussex; and what plans he has to work with West Sussex County Council to reduce the vacancy numbers.

Tony McNulty: The number of vacant council houses, by local authority area, in West Sussex at 1 April 2001 (latest data available) is shown in the table below.
	
		Local authority vacant dwellings in West Sussex by local authority area at 1 April 2001
		
			 Local authority LA vacant dwellings 
		
		
			 Adur 9 
			 Arun 22 
			 Chichester – 
			 Crawley 63 
			 Horsham – 
			 Mid Sussex – 
			 Worthing – 
			  
			 Total 94 
		
	
	Notes:
	Chichester, Horsham, Mid Sussex and Worthing no longer own any dwelling stock, having transferred them through the Large Scale Voluntary Transfer (LSVT) scheme.
	Source:
	ODPM's 2001 Housing Strategy Statistical Appendices completed by local authorities.
	On 1 April 2001 there were 94 vacant council houses in West Sussex (0.6 per cent. of the stock). A proportion of housing will always be vacant at any given time as a result of the normal process of letting housing, which becomes available to new tenants. We will continue to support authorities in developing effective council housing business plans, which minimise the numbers of vacant dwellings, but have no plans to take any specific action on vacant dwellings with housing authorities in West Sussex (where the proportion of vacant council house dwellings is well below the national average of 2.9 per cent.).

Solar Energy

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans his Department has to increase the number of new houses with solar tiles; and if he will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: I have been asked to reply.
	The DTI has a research and development programme to assess various aspects of PV product development, installation and operation on domestic buildings. In particular, the Domestic PV Systems Field Trial is supporting several projects on clusters of houses. This should result in around 500 PV roofs with a total capacity of around 800 KWp and a budget of over #5 million. This trial will use the design, construction and monitoring of the installation as a learning opportunity for utilities, building developers and other key players in the process of PV installation. Information will be gathered on the buildability, operating performance, reliability and maintainability of building-integrated PV (BIPV) systems, thus paving the way for improvements in know how in the home PV industry.
	In addition, the recently introduced First Phase of the Major Photovoltaic Demonstration Programme aims to distribute grants to households and businesses wishing to install PV arrays onto their buildings. The programme seeks to increase public awareness and drive down the market cost of installation by offering 50 per cent. grants on the installation of PV systems. A third of the #20 million budget has been allocated to small PV installation on individual dwellings, which should result in 1500 roof systems being installed. A further third of the budget has been allocated to private and social housing developers, resulting in a further 1500 roof systems. Up to the end of September the programme has had 70 successful small scale applications and has approved 8 larger scale applications.
	With regard to building regulations, these were changed on April 2002 to enable the benefits of low carbon and zero carbon technologies, such as PV, to be more readily taken into account and to encourage industry and consumer take-up. The economics of making the installation of PV solar panels a compulsory element of new building regulations are not yet favourable, as the price of PV remains high.

Housing

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will publish the latest available figures in descending order for the average number of households per 1,000 in each local authority area which are accepted as being in priority need for housing.

Barbara Roche: Available information reported by local authorities in England on the number of households accepted per 1,000 under statutory homelessness provisions for the quarter ending 30 June 2002 is available from the library of the House.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Inflation

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the level of inflation in the public sector.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply
	Inflation in the public sector—as defined by growth in the implied government consumption deflator—is currently close to its average over the past 5 years, and is significantly lower than its average from 1979 to mid-1997. Nevertheless the data need to be interpreted cautiously, because the non-marketed nature of public services and the difficulty of making appropriate adjustments for quality change complicate the measurement of prices and inflation in the public sector.

Public Sector Deflator

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the level of the public sector deflator in each month of the last 10 years.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply
	The implied government consumption deflator is not available on a monthly basis, as it is derived from quarterly nominal and real government consumption data.

Consultations

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the consultations being undertaken by her Department.

Patricia Hewitt: Consultations which are currently being undertaken by the Department, and their opening and closing dates, are as follows:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 Consultation on Commission proposal for a directive on the working conditions of temporary (agency) workers 01/07/02 18/10/02 
			 Managing the Nuclear Legacy—A strategy for action (White Paper) 04/07/02 18/10/02 
			 EU Regulation concerning sales promotions, promotional competitions and games 02/08/02 25/10/02 
			 The Copyright Directive (2001/29/EC)—UK Implementation 07/08/02 31/10/02 
			 Draft Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations 2002 22/07/02 01/11/02 
			 Employment Agencies: consultation on new regulations 23/07/02 01/11/02 
			 Disclosure of beneficial ownership of unlisted companies (joint DTI/Treasury) 23/07/02 14/11/02 
			 A consultation document on the early settlement of credit agreements under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 28/08/02 22/11/02 
			 Consultation on the extension of the application of the EU Regulation on International Accounting Standards 02/09/02 26/11/02 
			 Possible Introduction Of ''Promote'' Licences To Encourage Exploration Activity On The UKCS 27/09/02 29/11/02 
			 Companies Bill—Modernising Company Law White Paper Cm 5553 16/07/02 30/11/02 
			 Consultation on Topics for Forsight Projects 10/09/02 04/12/02 
			 High Performance Workplaces: The Role of Employee Involvement in a Modern Economy 11/07/02 11/12/02 
			 Employment status in relation to statutory employment rights 11/07/02 11/12/02 
			 Consultation on Competition Commission Monetary Penalties 18/09/02 16/12/02 
			 Consultation on Competition Appeal Tribunal Draft 18/09/02 16/12/02

Aircraft Fuel

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average price of aircraft fuel was in September.

Brian Wilson: The average spot price was $263 a tonne (source: Platts Information Agency).

Electricity and Gas Prices

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether pre-tax (a) electricity and (b) gas prices were above or below the EU/G7 median for 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: Average annual electricity and gas prices for 2001 are not yet available for all EU and G7 countries.
	In 2001 average pre-tax electricity prices for industrial consumers in the UK were 5 per cent. below the EU/G7 median, based upon the 5 countries for which data are available. Average pre-tax electricity prices for domestic consumers in the UK were 13 per cent. above the EU/G7 median, based upon the 7 countries for which data are available.
	Average pre-tax gas prices for UK industrial consumers in 2001 were 20 per cent. below the EU/G7 median, based upon the 7 countries for which data are available. Average pre-tax prices for domestic gas consumers in the UK were 4 per cent. below the EU/G7 median, based upon the 10 countries for which data are available.
	Estimates based on data from Eurostat (the EU Statistical Office) and Energy Advice Ltd (a private sector consultant) suggest that in July 2002 industrial electricity and gas prices in the UK, both including and excluding taxes, were generally below the EU median price. Similarly, the estimated data suggests that UK domestic electricity and gas prices, including taxes, were below the EU median price, but were above the EU median price if taxes are excluded.
	The DTI regularly publishes this comparison in ''Quarterly Energy Prices'', which is also available on the DTI web site.

Single Market Directives

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of single market directives had been transposed by September; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: Provisional indications from the Commission are that the Internal Market Scoreboard for November 2002 will show the UK as having transposed around 98.5 per cent. of single market directives. This was also the percentage shown for the UK in the last Scoreboard published in May 2002.

Corus

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 14 February 2002, Official Report, column 529W, on Corus, how much of the aid that was announced in May 2001 to provide suport to communities affected by Corus redundancies has been spent in respect of each of the projects listed; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The majority of the #48 million package of regeneration measures for areas in England affected by the closures announced by Corus in May 2001 consisted of major infrastructure projects funded by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.
	The announcement also indicated that the Government intended to approach the Commission under Article 56 of the ECSC Treaty with a view to introducing an ISERBS type of programme to provide social aid to redundant steelworkers. A scheme involving a one off lump sum payment of #2,480 per individual was implemented. By end of October 2002 #28.6m will have been disbursed to eligible workers.
	Infrastructure projects are necessarily slow moving, and little money is spent in the early stages. Progress on the projects is as follows:
	Durham University Stockton Campus (budget #19.4 million)—Work has started on site reclamation but there is no significant expenditure to date.
	Phase 2 of the Middlehaven scheme—One NorthEast is planning to spend some #16 million on Phase 2 which includes a contribution to a new junction on the A66 to access the site. Design work on the junction has been started and development of the Phase 2 site, which will involve the private sector, is planned to start in 2003.
	New Tees crossing and Teesside Light Rapid Transit system feasibility studies (combined budget #500,000)—#300,000 has been spent so far and further work has been commissioned to start in 2003.
	A66 Longnewton Junction improvements (budget #4.7 million)—the project is included in the Highways Agency programme and work will start in 2003.
	Projects funded by the UK broadband fund are seeing One North East in the Tees Valley area and Yorkshire Forward in the North Lincolnshire are a spending #500,000 each on supporting these communities. One North East are spending their money on connecting SMEs to broadband services and Yorkshire Forward on connecting business parks. #130,000 has been spent on feasibility so far in the North East.
	Enterprise Grants in Scunthorpe and some additional wards in Glanford (budget of up to #500,000)—expenditure is dependent on applications from companies wishing to expand. So far 11 applications have been received of which 5 have been approved and offers of grant totalling #149,000 have been made.
	The remainder of the package announced in 2001 consisted of an extension of the Job Transition Service to the areas affected by the closures, and is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Expenditure on the regeneration package for Wales also announced on that day is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

Electricity

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) interruptions there were per 100 customers and (b) minutes were lost to electricity power supply interruptions in 2001–02; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: (a) The average number of consumer interruptions per 100 customers in Great Britain in 2001–02 was 89.49.
	(b) The average number of customer minutes lost per customer in Great Britain in 2001–02 was 88.94.
	The industry regulator, OFGEM, has this year introduced measures that will create financial incentives to network operators to further improve performance.

Minimum Wage

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the advertising campaign for the increase in the minimum wage run in association with the Inland Revenue costs; if she will be running an assessment of the success of the campaign; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The advertising campaign this year to publicise the October 2002 increases in the national minimum wage cost #353,000 exclusive of VAT. Research is presently being undertaken on the effectiveness of the campaign.

Sellafield

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which reprocessing plant at Sellafield has the technical capacity to dissolve the unirradiated MOX fuel en route from Japan to Sellafield.

Brian Wilson: BNFL have advised that the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) has the technical capacity to dissolve the unirradiated MOX fuel, subject to appropriate regulatory consents.

Nuclear Energy

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether civil safeguarded magnox plutonium from British reactors has been used in MOX fuel sent to Japan.

Brian Wilson: The arrangements for manufacture and delivery of MOX fuel are a commercial matter for BNFL and its customers.

Gas

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make it her policy to consult the people of Canvey Island on the provision of (a) new and (b) re-furbished gas storage facilities on Canvey Island.

Brian Wilson: If planning permission is sought for gas storage facilities at Canvey Island, it would fall to the local planning authority, or on appeal to my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, to determine. The planning process provides an opportunity for the public to express their views on a proposal.

Gas

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what policies she has to increase gas storage facilities.

Brian Wilson: The Government's policy is to ensure an appropriate regulatory regime for the gas market in Great Britain, and to keep security of gas supply under review through the work of the DTI-Ofgem Joint Energy Security of Supply (JESS) Group. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) both act under a duty to exercise their relevant functions under the Gas Act 1986 (as amended) so as to protect the interests of consumers. The 1st Report of JESS, dated June 2002, drew attention to the possibility that peak gas demand could exceed maximum gas supply within the next few years if investment in gas storage/infrastructure is delayed. My Department has this year written to two local planning authorities considering proposals for new gas storage facilities about the national need for additional gas storage capacity.

Gas

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the constituencies where there are (a) operational and (b) potential bulk gas storage facilities suitable for transmission into the National Grid.

Brian Wilson: The major gas storage facility serving the market in Great Britain is the partially depleted Rough field in the Southern North Sea. The main existing onshore facilities are: Hornsea, east Yorkshire; five LNG (liquefied natural gas) storage facilities which are integral to the national transmission system and are owned and operated by Transco (at Avonmouth, Avon; Dynevor Arms, mid-Glamorgan; Glenmavis, Lanarkshire; Isle of Grain, Kent; and Partington, Lancashire); and two facilities which recently commissioned, at Hatfield Moor in east Yorkshire and Hole House Farm in Cheshire. A proposed facility at Aldborough, east Yorkshire, has secured planning permission and is under development. In addition a project at Byley in Cheshire is currently seeking planning permission, and a project at Fleetwood in Lancashire is understood to be close to applying for planning permission.

Gas

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what policies she has to expand the pan-European gas transmission network to improve UK access to imported gas; what estimate she has made of the cost of expanding the network; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: The Government's policy is to ensure an appropriate regulatory regime for the gas market in Great Britain, and to keep security of gas supply under review through the work of the DTI-Ofgem Joint Energy Security of Supply Group. There are a number of commercial projects to increase UK access to imported gas. These include new contractual arrangements and improved connections from the Norwegian Continental Shelf; increasing the import capacity of the existing gas interconnector pipe-line between the UK and Belgium; an additional interconnector between the Netherlands and the UK; and a number of projects to import LNG (liquefied natural gas) into the UK. The costs in each case are a commercial matter. The new price control that Ofgem has put in place to regulate Transco as transmission system operator is designed to make Transco's investments in the national transmission system for gas more responsive to market needs, including new patterns of supply as we become increasingly dependent on imported gas.

Gas

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in which constituencies there are (a) operational and (b) potential liquified gas unloading facilities for the importation of liquefied gas by sea; and what plans she has to utilise these facilities.

Brian Wilson: There are no existing operational LNG (liquefied natural gas) importation facilities. I understand that there are commercial plans for the development of LNG import facilities at the Isle of Grain and Milford Haven. Utilisation of such facilities would be a commercial matter.

Disposable Nappies

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures have been taken to ensure that disposable nappies containing tributyl tin are excluded from UK markets; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: No measures have been necessary. Whilst trace levels of tributyl tins (TBT) were reported in certain brands of disposable nappies on sale in Germany in May 2000, this was claimed to be due to contamination during the manufacturing process and was subsequently eliminated. Organotins such as TBTs are not intentionally added to these products. A survey undertaken for the DTI by LGC Ltd (formerly the Laboratory of the Government Chemist), showed that there was no risk to the health of babies in disposable nappies sold in the UK.

European Procurement Policy

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when in 2002 the inclusion of environmental criteria in respect of European procurement policy was discussed by her Department and the European Commission; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: In the context of discussions with the European Commission and other Member States on the proposals to update, clarify and simplify the EC public procurement directives, my officials have covered a number of aspects of procurement policy, including the scope to use environmental criteria at each stage of the procurement process.
	Political agreement on the proposals was reached at the Internal Market and Tourism Council on 21 May 2002.

Broadband Communications

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will estimate the proportion of people in each region who are served by (a) broadband-enabled telephone exchanges, (b) cabled-based broadband services and (c) either of the above; and if she will estimate the numbers in each category who make use of that facility.

Stephen Timms: As of the end of June 2002, the proportion of the population in each region and nation able to access broadband through DSL enabled exchanges, cable modem services, and in total, was estimated by independent consultants to be as follows:
	
		
			  Per cent households with broadband access 
			 Region/Nation DSL Cable modem Total 
		
		
			 North East 64 43 72 
			 North West 66 52 75 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 59 42 64 
			 West Midlands 68 53 75 
			 East Midlands 55 39 61 
			 East of England 54 36 57 
			 South West 48 22 51 
			 South East 66 33 68 
			 London 98 53 98 
			 Scotland 39 3 53 
			 Wales 32 24 38 
			 Northern Ireland 46 30 47 
		
	
	Oftel figures for September 2002 show the number of broadband users nationally was over 885,000, of which around 390,000 used ADSL and 490,000 used cable. Since then, Oftel have announced that there are now in excess of one million broadband users in the UK.

Post Offices

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) rural and (b) urban post offices have closed in each of the last five years; and how many new ones have opened.

Stephen Timms: In the last five years net annual figures for post office closures are:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 March 1998 243 
			 March 1999 233 
			 March 2000 382 
			 March 2001 547 
			 March 2002 262 
		
	
	I understand from Post Office Limited that gross closure and opening/reopening figures, broken down between rural and urban post offices have only been available since April 2001. In the year ending March 2002, 371 rural offices closed and 177 rural offices opened/reopened and 114 urban offices closed and 46 opened/reopened.

RDA Members

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the process by which (a) chairmen and (b) members of regional development agencies are appointed.

Alan Johnson: The process for appointing both the Regional Development Agency Chairs and Board Members is run according to the Code of Practice issued by the Office for the Commissioner of Public Appointments (OCPA).
	Appointments are made on merit, following open competition, application and formal interviews. Each applicant is assessed against the selection criteria, as set out in the person specification for the post. Some candidates for the RDA Chair positions were identified through executive search. These candidates went through the same process (including interviews) and were assessed on the same criteria as candidates who responded to the advertisement.

RDA Members

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the members of each regional development agency stating for each member the (a) date of, (b) length of, their appointment and (c) their qualifications for the job.

Patricia Hewitt: The dates of appointment for current Regional Development Agency (RDA) board members are detailed in the table below.
	The Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 states that in appointing members to the RDA Boards, ''the Secretary of State shall have regard to the desirability of appointing a person who has experience of, and has shown capacity in, some matter relevant to the functions of the agency.''
	Board members' backgrounds include trade unions, the voluntary sector and rural interests; and at least half the members have current or recent business experience. On each RDA board, four of the board members are drawn from local government.
	Before being appointed to the boards, potential board members are assessed against the criteria set out in the person specification for the posts.
	
		
			  Date of first appointment Date of re-appointment Expiry date of appointment 
		
		
			 Advantage West Midlands 
			  
			 Stephenson Alex 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Barnes Richard 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/04 
			 Bhattacharyya Kumar 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Bore Albert 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Davies Sue 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/04 
			 Harris Anthony 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Holmes Bill 11/02/02  13/12/04 
			 Kaur Stubbs 
			 Sukhvinder 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 King Christine 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Moore Isabella 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Price Norman 14/04/00  13/04/03 
			 Sealey Tony 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Sparkes David 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Tilsley Paul 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Woods-Scawen Brian 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 East of England Regional Development Agency 
			  
			 Watts Vincent 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Ali Roger 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Bagnall Ruth 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Brinton Sal 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/04 
			 Cereste Marco 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Cherry Alan 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Grant Greg 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Martin Peter 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Murray Leo 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Paveley Chris 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Powell Richard 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Reyner Neville 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Shariff Yasmin 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Skinner Marie 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 East Midlands Development Agency 
			  
			 Mapp Derek 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/04 
			 Bilgan Kashmir 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Bradford Jane 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/04 
			 Carr Bryan 14/12/99 14/12/02 13/12/05 
			 Chapman Graham 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/04 
			 Gadsby Peter 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Gardner Gill 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Gemmell Samantha 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 McLeod Jonathan 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Patel Rita 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Ramsden Peter 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Scarborough Andrew 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Morgan-Webb Patricia 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/04 
			 Whittaker Ron 14/12/99 14/12/02 13/12/05 
			 Wood Christine 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 North West Development Agency 
			  
			 Gray Bryan 01/04/02  31/03/05 
			 Chamberlain Neville 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Doyle Miichael 14/12/98 14/12/02 13/12/02 
			 Dunning John 14/12/98 14/12/02 13/12/04 
			 Goodey Felicity 14/12/98 14/12/02 13/12/02 
			 Harris Martin 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Jeanes Clive 14/12/98 14/12/02 13/12/03 
			 Lane Pauleen 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Leese Richard 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Manning Alan 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Mendoros Dennis 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/04 
			 Reade Kath 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Ruia Anil 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Smith Brenda 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Storey Michael 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 One North East 
			  
			 Bridge John 14/12/98 16/07/01 13/12/03 
			 Arkley Alistair 14/12/98 19/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Cantle-Jones Tim 07/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Dennis Barbara 14/12/98 19/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Edwards Christopher 07/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Fisher Jackie 07/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Hodgson Geoff 07/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Hughes Philllip 14/12/98 19/12/01 13/12/04 
			 Maudslay Richard 14/12/98 19/12/01 13/12/04 
			 Nolan Jane 07/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Stringfellow Rita 14/12/98 19/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Walsh David 07/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Williams John 14/12/98 07/02/02 13/12/02 
			 Wilson Susan 14/12/98 19/12/01 13/12/01 
			 South East England Development Agency 
			  
			 Willett Allan 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Bodfish Ken 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Booth Clive 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/04 
			 Brathwaite James 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Brighouse Elizabeth 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Camfield Barry 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/03 
			 Douglas Robert 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Kong Janis 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/04 
			 McAnally Mary 01/11/00  31/10/03 
			 Oliver Kit 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Read Peter 01/11/00  31/10/03 
			 Thornber Thomas 
			 (Kenneth) 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Ward Sarah 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Williams Caroline 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 Wilson Kevin 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/02 
			 South West of England Regional Development Agency 
			  
			 Lickiss Michael 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Ansari Doris 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Buckland Nicholas 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Chalke Peter 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Costley Nigel 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Holland Helen 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Kemp Brian 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Leece Michael 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Morris Alfred 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Nicholl Robin 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Pope Jeremy 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Porritt Jonathon 15/12/99 15/12/02 14/12/02 
			 Skellett Colin 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Yorkshire Forward 
			  
			 Hall Graham 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Ashcroft John 15/12/99 14/12/02 
			 Barker Muriel 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Bosomworth Eileen 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Coburn Jeanne 17/10/00  16/10/03 
			 Cummins Julian 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Greenwood Brian 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Gregory Richard 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Haskins Christopher 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Hougton Stephen 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Jagger Paul 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 King Christopher 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Malik Adeeba 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01 
			 Pinnock Kathryn 14/12/01  13/12/04 
			 Warhurst Pamela 14/12/98 14/12/01 13/12/01

RDA Members

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the known political affiliations of members of the regional development agencies, stating whether she and her predecessors (a) had this information at the time of appointment of and (b) took account of the information when making the appointment.

Patricia Hewitt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 8 July 2002, Official Report, column 674W, which listed the political affiliation of Regional Development Agency (RDA) board members as declared under the Office for the Commissioner of Public Appointments (OCPA) Code of Practice.
	This information is required under the OCPA code as part of the application process for all public appointments. It is not part of the information used when deciding whom to appoint. The exception to this is the four local authority posts on each RDA board. Information on political affiliation is taken into account by Ministers making these appointments, as the aim is for RDA boards to reflect generally the political make up of their region. However, even for local authority appointments, political balance is a secondary consideration to the overriding principle of appointment on merit.

RDA Members

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the number of applicants for each vacancy for membership of the regional development agencies.

Patricia Hewitt: Information on the current appointments process for RDA board members (outside London) is set out in the table below.
	
		
			 RDA Post Number of Applications(8) 
		
		
			 AWM Business 34 
			  Local Authority(9) 13 
			  Multiple(10) 2 
			 NWDA Business(11) 52 
			  Local Authority 13 
			  Voluntary Sector(11) 22 
			  Multiple(10) 1 
			 EMDA Local Authority 12 
			  Trade Union 3 
			  Business(12) 7 
			  Higher/Further 
			 Education(12) 1 
			  Multiple(10) 2 
			 SEEDA Business(9) 59 
			  Local Authority(9) 33 
			  Rural 6 
			  Voluntary Sector(12) 1 
			  Social Enterprise(12) 2 
			  Higher/Further 
			 Education(12) 1 
			  Multiple(10) 2 
			 Yorkshire Forward Business(13) 37 
			  Higher/Further 
			 Education(12) 3 
			  Local Authority(12) 3 
			  Rural(13) 4 
			  Multiple(10) 4 
			 ONE Business(9) 33 
			  Local Authority 24 
			  Trade Union 7 
			  Multiple(10) 1 
			 EEDA Business 42 
			  Local Authority(9) 15 
			  Trade Union(12) 1 
			  Multiple(10) 3 
			 SWRDA Business 51 
			  Higher Education 12 
			  Local Authority 23 
			  Social Enterprise 15 
			  Trade Union(12) 1 
			  Voluntary Sector(12) 2 
			  Multiple(10) 5 
		
	
	Notes:
	(8) Some candidates applied for posts in more than one region.
	(9) 2 posts.
	(10) Applicant claimed primary experience in more than one sector.
	(11) NWDA needs 1 business person and 1 either business or voluntary sector.
	(12) No vacancy in this field on this board.
	(13) Yorkshire Forward needs 2 business people, ideally 1 with a strong link to the rural economy.

Regulations

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list those regulations proposed by other Departments that have been amended after comments from her Department since 2 May 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: Records relating to those regulations proposed by other departments, that have been amended after comments from the Department, are not held centrally. However, both the Department of Trade and Industry and Small Business Service see many consultations, both formally and informally, and where appropriate make comments to be taken into consideration on regulatory issues.

National Insurance

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date her Department began discussing with the Treasury the increase in the rate of National Insurance contributions in the last budget.

Patricia Hewitt: It has not been the practice of successive governments to disclose details of discussions between Ministerial colleagues (under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information).

Telecommunications Masts

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what guidance he gives to local authorities on collecting revenue from telecommunications masts.
	(2)  what the average rateable value is of a telecommunication mast.

Christopher Leslie: I have been asked to reply. 
	In addition to the guidance provided on the collection of business rates generally, local authorities were given specific information in respect of rates and telecommunication masts in December 2000. This followed the coming into force of the Non-Domestic Rating (Telecommunication Apparatus) England Regulations 2000, which simplified for the future the payment and collection of rates on masts. The Regulations provided that where there were a number of separate entries in a rating list for a single mast—because the mast had equipment belonging to more than one telecommunication operator—then these entries would be replaced by a single entry. Where this happened, one of the operators would assume responsibility for the rates on behalf of all of the operators, and the local authority would need to bill accordingly.
	The current average rateable value of masts is estimated to be about #5,000.

NORTHERN IRELAND

School Exam Performance

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will rank the (a) GCSE and (b) A level performance in Northern Ireland's schools with that in English local education authority areas.

Jane Kennedy: The information is not available in the format requested. Information on comparative performance between pupils in Northern Ireland and England for the 5 years ending in 2000–01 (latest available data) is, however, set out below:
	
		
			 Performance Indicator(14),(15)  1996–97(18) 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00(19) 2000–01 
		
		
			 % achieving 2+ ''A'' Levels A-E(16) NI 91 92 92 93 93 
			  England 81 81 81 81 82 
			 % achieving 5+ GCSEs A*-C(17) NI 54 55 56 57 57 
			  England 45 46 48 49 50 
			 % achieving 5+ GCSEs A*-G(17) NI 85 87 87 87 86 
			  England 86 88 88 89 89 
			 % achieving no GCSEs(17) NI 4 3 3 4 4 
			  England 8 7 6 6 5 
		
	
	Sources:1 DE, DfES
	(14) Excludes special and independent schools in Northern Ireland.
	(15) A level figures are expressed as a percentage of pupils in the final year of an A level course in Northern Ireland and as a percentage of pupils in school and sixth form colleges in England.
	(16) GCSE figures are expressed as a percentage of pupils in year 12 in Northern Ireland, and as a percentage of 15 year olds in England and Wales.
	(17) From 1996/97 GCSE figures include GNVQ Part 1 Qualifications.
	(18) From 1999/00 A level figures for Northern Ireland are from the University of Bath GCE Database.
	Performance information for England by LEA is available on the DfES Website, www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics/DB/SBU/b0334/index.html.

Police Service

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) Roman Catholics, (b) Protestants and (c) others have been recruited to the Police Service of Northern Ireland since its inception.

Jane Kennedy: As at 18 October 2002, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has appointed 479 trainees. Of these, 243 have declared themselves to be Roman Catholic; 232 have declared themselves to be Protestant; and 4 are non-determined. The balance of appointments during the course of each competition can be subject to some slight fluctuation.

Parades Commission

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what costs were incurred by the Parades Commission in the organisation of conferences in the financial year ending 31 March; what the costs were of each event; what the advertising costs were; how many people attended each; if he will breakdown the attendance of each by (a) perceived community background and (b) gender; and what assessment has been made by the Commission of these events.

Jane Kennedy: The overall cost of the two conferences held in the financial year ending 31 March 2002 was approximately #70,575.
	The first conference cost #53,278 and the second conference cost #17,297. A significant portion of the costs of the first conference (for example planning and design work) represented outlay that was utilised also in the second conference.
	No advertising costs were incurred as attendance at both conferences was by invitation.
	There were 196 people in attendance at the conference on 26 January 2002. There were 175 people in attendance at the conference on 9 March 2002.
	The Parades Commission does not hold the necessary information to enable them to provide a breakdown of attendance, but it was clear that the nationalist viewpoint was more strongly represented at the second conference and the unionist viewpoint more strongly represented at the first. There were more men than women at both conferences. This may reflect to some extent a greater predominance of men involved in parading organisations.
	The Parades Commission issued evaluation forms to delegates at the end of each conference. The delegates were asked to provide an assessment of the conference and submit any suggestions on how to make progress with regard to the parading issue. The Commission provided a summary report of the key issues raised at each conference and a copy was issued to each delegate who attended.
	Based on feedback from both conferences, the Commission is seeking to build on this positive initiative. It has also been able to establish more constructive relationships with some parading interests as a direct result of the conferences.

Police Retention

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he will take to stem the loss of experienced Northern Ireland police officers.

Jane Kennedy: The Government is committed to ensuring the police service of Northern Ireland is resourced to deliver an effective and efficient police service. It is the Chief Constable who sets the criteria for admission to the severance scheme and the Government continues to be guided by his assessment of policing requirements.
	The Government has welcomed the PSNI workforce plan, endorsed by the Policing Board, which gives careful consideration to the policing needs of Northern Ireland and how the police can most efficiently and effectively provide the service which the public is entitled to expect.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Devolution

Irene Adams: To ask the Advocate-General if she will make a statement on the devolution issues that have been raised with her in the past three years.

Lynda Clark: I have received intimation of more than 1,500 cases in which devolution issues were raised. In some of these cases additional devolution issues were raised by further minutes. These devolution issues have referred to a great variety of matters, both civil and criminal in nature, and many of these raise issues under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights relating, for example, to the right to a fair trial and undue delay in trial.

PRIME MINISTER

Standing Order No. 13

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will propose changes to Standing Order No. 13 to extend his power to make representations to the Speaker for the earlier meeting of the House in certain circumstances to all hon. Members.

Tony Blair: I have no plans to do so.

Royal Prerogative

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will bring forward proposals to make it a requirement for Parliament to be consulted on the use of his power under Royal Prerogative to take the country to war; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: There is no need for a formal requirement for Parliament to be consulted since the House is already given the opportunity to debate such decisions.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what the basis is of the assertion at page 17 of his dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction that Saddam Hussein is determined to retain the weapons of mass destruction that the dossier discusses;
	(2)  if he will set out the technical basis for the assertion made at page 19 in the dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction that chemical or biological weapons could be deployed within 45 minutes of an order to do so;
	(3)  what the basis is for the assertion at paragraph 30, page 30 of the dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction that Saddam Hussein remains committed to developing longer-range weapons.

Tony Blair: These points reflect specific intelligence information. In the area of longer-range weapons, paragraph 28 of the dossier also explains the significance of the new engine test stand at al-Rafah, which has a capability to test engines for missiles with ranges over 1000km.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister for what reasons hon. Members were not provided with copies of his dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction before the day it was debated in Parliament.

Tony Blair: The Government was working to a tight deadline. The dossier was made available at 8am on Tuesday 24 September in order for Members and Peers to be able to consider it before the debate.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment Her Majesty's Government made of the report on Iraq's military production and deployment capabilities published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in September; and whether Iraq could assemble nuclear weapons within months if it had sufficent fissile materials.

Tony Blair: The International Institute for Strategic Studies report was an independent and well-researched overview of the evidence available in the public domain. Our assessment, as the dossier states, is that if Iraq obtained fissile material and other essential components from foreign sources, it could produce a nuclear weapon in between one and two years.

Iraq Dossier

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether information from United States sources was used in the Iraq dossier on weapons of mass destruction;
	(2)  whether representatives of the United States Administration were shown the Iraq dossier prior to its publication on 24 September.

Tony Blair: The sources used in the dossier were mainly those of the United Kingdom's intelligence and analysis agencies—the Secret Intelligence Service, the Government Communications Headquarters, the Security Service, and the Defence Intelligence Staff. The dossier also reflected our access to intelligence from close allies, but details of discussions on these matters are confidential.

Cabinet Committees

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make an exception from the rule covering non-disclosure of information from Cabinet committees and sub-committees under Part II of the code of practice on access to Government information to permit details of progress made at meetings of the Cabinet sub-committee ENV of green ministers to be given to Parliament on a more regular basis than its annual report to the Environmental Audit Committee.

Tony Blair: The Sustainable Development in Government Report is published annually and outlines the contribution of all departments to sustainable development. Key developments during the year are posted on the Sustainable Development in Government website, http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/sdig/index.htm. The Environment Audit Committee is able to call for reports and evidence at any time.
	It is established practice under Exemption 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose information relating to the proceedings of the Cabinet and its committees.

Russian Convoy (Campaign Medal)

Bob Spink: To ask the Prime Minister if he will meet a group of Royal Navy and Merchant Navy Russian convoy veterans to discuss the offer of a campaign medal made by the Russian Government.

Tony Blair: We have received no formal request from the Russian Government asking that permission be granted to issue the Defence of the Soviet Arctic Region Medal to British veterans. Were the Russian authorities formally to ask for this campaign medal to be officially recognised in this country, the Government would consider it carefully and discuss with relevant groups.

Convention on the Future of Europe.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to meet M Valery Giscard d'Estaing to discuss the Convention on the Future of Europe.

Tony Blair: I met M Giscard d'Estaing to discuss the Convention in February and May. I hope to arrange a further meeting with him later this year. He reported to the Seville European Council in June on the progress of the Convention, and is due to address the Brussels European Council, 24–25 October, on the same subject.

Swill Feeding

Angela Browning: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had on a ban on swill feeding in the last two years.

Tony Blair: I have of course been made aware of the ban on swill feeding as part of the discussions I have had with regard to Foot and Mouth Disease.
	On 20 November 2001, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs met with the Associated Swill Users and agreed to investigate the possibility of providing free business advice to those former swill feeders affected by the ban. The Government applied for, and has now received, approval from the European Commission to fund, via the State Aid process, a scheme to provide free business advice to those affected by the ban on swill feeding.

CABINET OFFICE

E-Government

Tim Yeo: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the promotion of (a) e-democracy and (b) e-Government.

Douglas Alexander: To promote e-democracy and to further inform our policy thinking, we are currently running a wide-ranging public consultation. The consultation paper—In the Service of Democracy—was launched by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons on 16 July. The consultation is due to close on 31 October 2002.
	To promote e-government we have developed ukonline.gov.uk, a portal for government services and information. It is indexed on popular search engines and other government department websites.
	In addition we have created a platform for government services on Sky DiTV and we deliver some government services and information through interactive kiosks.

Emergency Planning

Mark Francois: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what schemes the Government intend to implement to increase public knowledge and awareness with regard to emergency planning; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The provision of advice and guidance to the public remains central to the government's approach to contingency planning.
	Extensive arrangements are in place at central government and local authority level to ensure the provision of information on specific issues. Government Departments and agencies use a range of tools including web-sites to disseminate relevant facts and advice. In cases of particular emergency, such as flooding, publicity would be given to the risks as well as sources of help and advice. This would be through regional or national activity including the use of broadcast media. The Cabinet Office provides central co-ordination where required.
	Work is in hand to revise and update the document ''Dealing with Disaster'', a key statement of guidance on the arrangements for emergency response nation-wide, in consultation with local authorities and the emergency services.
	Thinking on public information and guidance is regularly exchanged between central, local and devolved government through courses and seminars held under the auspices of the Emergency Planning College (EPC). Further details can be found on the EPC web-site at www.ukresilience.info/college.

TREASURY

Food Supplements

Nigel Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the impact on Treasury revenues of the European Food Supplement Directive and the proposed European Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: The impact on Treasury revenues, as a result of the European Food Supplements Directive and the proposed Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive, is likely to be negligible.

Commercial Property Valuation Tribunals

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many commercial property valuation tribunal hearings are listed for hearing in 2004.

Tony McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
	There are no hearings currently listed to take place in England in 2004. In some areas there is an intended programme of hearing dates shown on the valuation tribunal website, but these will not be formally listed until a notice of hearing is issued by the relevant valuation tribunal not less than 4 weeks before the hearing date.

Fuel Duty

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual income to Exchequer funds which would arise from extending the present rate of road fuel duty on unleaded petrol to aviation fuel.

John Healey: Levying duty on aviation turbine fuel at the same duty rate as that charged on ultra low sulphur petrol (ULSP), which is 45.82 pence per litre, would have raised approximately #5.7 billion in 2001–02, assuming no reduction in demand.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the delay occurred in transferring the letter of 19 August from the hon. Member for Walsall, North concerning a constituent, reference 5/07848/2002, to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

John Healey: There was initial discussion within the Treasury and then with HM Customs and Excise as to which department was best placed to address the issues raised. Following further discussion with DEFRA the hon. Gentleman's letter was transferred to that department on 16 September.

Insurance Mediation Directive

Barbara Follett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish the Government's proposals for implementing the European Union's Insurance Mediation Directive.

Ruth Kelly: As I announced on 12 December 2001 (WA 890–891W) the Government proposes to give the Financial Services Authority (FSA) responsibility for regulating general insurance and reinsurance mediation. I have today published a consultation document that sets out the intended approach to regulating the sale of general insurance products following adoption on 30 September 2002 by the European Parliament and Council of Ministers under the co-decision procedure of the Insurance Mediation Directive (the Directive).
	The consultation document explains that the FSA will regulate the following activities:
	introducing, proposing or carrying out other work preparatory to the conclusion of contracts of insurance or reinsurance;
	assisting in the administration and performance of such contracts, in particular in the event of a claim; and
	concluding contracts of insurance or reinsurance.
	The Directive requires the regulation of mediation activities in relation to all contracts of insurance. However, it provides certain exemptions for insurance sold as part of a package, including travel insurance sold with a holiday and extended warranties that are contracts of insurance.
	It is for the UK Government to decide whether to regulate those insurances that are exempted from the Directive and I have decided to defer a decision on whether the FSA should regulate extended warranties pending the outcome of the Competition Commission enquiry into extended warranties for electrical goods.
	As to travel insurances that are sold with a holiday, we need carefully to weigh the consumer protection issues against regulatory costs. The Government also needs to weigh fairly the competition issues between those intermediaries that sell travel insurance direct and travel agents that sell insurance alongside a holiday. I have decided, therefore, to consult on whether to give the FSA responsibility for regulating these products. There are three options:
	No statutory regulation of sales of travel insurance sold as part of a package;
	FSA regulation to cover these sales in the same way as stand alone sales of travel insurance; or
	Industry specific regulation, requiring sellers of these products to be authorised by the FSA unless they are subject to an ABTA code which would be certified by the FSA. Sellers who were subject to the ABTA code but who also carried on other FSMA regulated activity, including selling any insurance other than packaged travel insurance, would be subject to FSA authorisation in relation to all of their regulated activities (including the activities to which the ABTA code applied).
	Responses to the consultation on general insurance and reinsurance regulation, and on the options for travel insurance sold as part of a holiday, should be sent to HM Treasury by 31 January 2003.

Tax Credits (Fraud)

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the claim form of working families' tax credit does not ask if claimants are currently receiving income support; and what plans he has to include this question in future versions of the form.

Dawn Primarolo: The qualifying conditions for Income Support and Working Families' Tax Credit are mutually exclusive to the extent that Income Support is available to people who work for less than 16 hours a week and Working Families' Tax Credit is available to people who work 16 hours or more a week. There are no plans to amend the Working Families' Tax Credit claim form.

Tax Credits (Fraud)

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are employed by the Inland Revenue to work on anti-fraud measures in respect of the working families' tax credit; and what plans he has to take on additional staff for anti-fraud work in respect of his new system of tax credits.

Dawn Primarolo: As at 17 October 2002, there are a total of 755 Inland Revenue staff involved in investigating possible incorrect applications for Working Families' Tax Credit (WFTC) and Disabled Persons' Tax Credit (DPTC). We are currently developing our staffing plans for the introduction of Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Working Tax Credit (WTC), the likely number of staff which will be involved in this work is approximately 1,100.

National Insurance Fund

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what form the balance of the National Insurance Fund is held.

Dawn Primarolo: Any working balance is invested and provides additional income for the Fund. The Fund may only invest in Government and Local Authority stocks, in accordance with directions given by the Treasury.

Commercial Flights

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual income to the Exchequer which would arise from the imposition of a 17.5 per cent. sales tax on the purchase of tickets for commercial flight departures from United Kingdom airports.

John Healey: The lack of price data means it is not possible to estimate accurately the revenue from a 17.5 per cent. sales tax on the purchase of tickets for commercial flight departures.

Private Medical Insurance

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised from taxation of private medical insurance cover offered by employers as a benefit in kind in each of the last five years.

Ruth Kelly: Information on the total income tax liability of employees and Class 1A National Insurance liability of employers on the benefit of private medical and dental treatment or insurance provided by employers is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Year Amount #million 
		
		
			 2001–02(19) 390 
			 2000–01(19),(20) 390 
			 1999–2000 270 
			 1998–99 260 
			 1997–98 250 
		
	
	Notes:
	(19) Projected.
	(20) From 6 April 2000, Class 1A NICs liability was extended to cover medical and dental treatment or insurance provided by employers.

Private Medical Insurance

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the cost of re-introducing tax relief for pensioners paying for their own private medical insurance cover.

Ruth Kelly: The abolition of tax relief on premiums for private medical insurance for the over-60s was estimated to yield #135 million for 1999–2000 as shown in the July 1997 Financial Statement and Budget Report. A reliable updated estimate could only be produced at a disproportionate cost.

Cancer

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the five year survival rates for (a) breast, (b) lung, (c) stomach and (d) colo-rectal cancer types; and on what authority they are based.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tim Loughton, dated 21 October 2002
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the five year survival rates for (a) breast, (b) lung, (c) stomach and (d) colorectal cancer types; and on what authority they were based.
	The latest available five year survival rates for cancer of the breast (female), lung, stomach and colon are for patients diagnosed in 1993–95 and followed up to 31 December 2000.
	Five year survival rates by sex and age group for England are available on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D4924.xls
	Five year survival rates for cancers of the lung, stomach and colon for all persons, and for cancer of the breast for females, all ages combined, are available for NHS regions and health authority areas in England as they were up to 1st April 2001, on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D5389.xls http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D5392.xls
	The methodology used to calculate the survival rates is closely based on that used to analyse cancer survival trends over the period 1971 to 1990, which is described in Cancer Survival Trends in England and Wales, 1971–95: deprivation and NHS Region 1 .
	Note:
	1 Coleman MP, Babb PJ, Damiecki P, Grosclaude P, Honjo S, Jones J, Knerer G, Pitard A, Quinn M, Sloggett A, De Stavola B. Cancer Survival Trends in England and Wales, 1971–95: deprivation and NHS Region. Studies in Medical and Population Subjects No. 61. London: The Stationery Office, 1999.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Mobile Phone Thefts

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are serving sentences of (a) theft and (b) robbery involving phones.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 5 March 2002
	There is no data held centrally on the number of persons in England and Wales who have committed an offence of theft or robbery that involves a phone.

Targeted Policing Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) those schemes which have received funding under the Targeted Policing Initiative in the Buckingham constituency, (b) the amount received and (c) the targets set to reduce crime under the schemes.

John Denham: No schemes have been funded in the Buckingham constituency under the Targeted Policing Initiative.

Police Horses

Alan Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent guidelines he has issued on the tethering of horses by police forces; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: There is no Home Office or Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) guidance on this matter. The equine training standards adopted by police forces are that the horses should not be tethered by the reins.

Criminal Injuries Compensation (Children)

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many applications submitted to the CICA/CICB on behalf of children who have been victims of sexual abuse in each of the last five years have been successful, broken down by nation and region;
	(2)  how many applications have been submitted to the CICA/CICB on behalf of children who have been victims of sexual abuse in each of the last five years, broken down by nation and region.

Hilary Benn: The readily available information, which has been provided by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, is summarised in the following table. The awards resolved in any given year do not necessarily relate to the applications received in that year.
	
		Applications Relating To Child Abuse
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Number of Applications Received 
			 Total for Great Britain 5,164 4,887 5,056 4,607 4,606 
			 Scotland Only 840 728 724 576 583 
			 Resolution of Applications 
			 Money Awards 
			 Total for Great Britain 3,189 4,113 3,861 3,578 3,678 
			 Scotland Only 328 481 420 410 417 
			 No Award 
			 Total for Great Britain 795 1,287 1,382 1,254 1,229 
			 Scotland Only 111 209 236 201 147

Criminal Injuries Compensation (Children)

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if it is the policy of the CICA/CICB to retain records of applications and papers submitted in respect of applications on behalf of children until such time as the child would attain the age of majority;
	(2)  what length of time papers presented to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority and its predecessor the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board relating to applications are held by the authority.

Hilary Benn: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) advise that, prior to 4 December 2001, it was the general policy of both CICA and Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) to retain papers relating to applications for compensation for six years from the date of the last action on the case. The retention period was then reduced to five years because the increased throughput of resolved cases under the new tariff scheme was creating additional pressures on the available storage space.
	The CICA's policy is to retain case files for applications submitted on behalf of children until the child reaches 21 years of age. In addition, in any case where the medical condition is likely to deteriorate, the policy is to retain the file for 25 years after the last action has been taken.

Police Finance

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the (a) total standard spending, (b) special police grants and central support services and (c) capital investment in (i) Merseyside Police, (ii) Greater Manchester Police and (iii) England and Wales in (A) 1997–98, (B) 1998–99, (C) 1999–2000, (D) 2000–01, (E) 2001–02 and (F) the projected levels for 2002–03.

John Denham: holding answer 23 July 2002
	
		
			  Merseyside Greater Manchester Police England & Wales 
			  TSS Special Grant(22) Capital(23) Total TSS Special Grant(22) Capital(23) Total TSS Special Grant(22) Capital(23) Total 
			  #million #million #million  #million #million #million #million #million #million #million #million 
		
		
			 1997/98 227.4 0 6.6 234.0 351.2 0 7.6 358.8 6,824.7 1.5 169.5 6,995.7 
			 1998/99 233.2 0 3.5 236.7 364.7 0 4.3 369 7,035.5 5.8 144.4 7,185.7 
			 1999/00 236.3 0.09 3.1 239.5 375.7 0.1 4.3 380.1 7,213.6 8.1 144.4 7,366.1 
			 2000/01 242.3 4.3 3.9 250.5 386.0 6.6 4.8 397.4 7,415.3 113.1 144.4 7,672.8 
			 2001/02 252.6 6.3 3.9 262.8 404.5 29.0 6.5 440.0 7,778.8 330.9 157.4 8,267.1 
			 2002/03(21) 253.1 17.4 5.6 276.1 407.4 24.0 9.3 440.7 7,831.5 460.9 209.4 8,501.8 
		
	
	Notes:
	(21) Total Standard Spending figures (TSS) for 2002/03 are not directly comparable with 2001/02 owing to the change in funding arrangement for the National Crime Squad/National Criminal Intelligence Service. On a like-for-like basis the comparable figures for 2001/02 are #247.2million for Merseyside, #395.8million for Greater Manchester Police and #7,613.7million for England & Wales.
	(22) Special grant includes Home office Crime Fighting Fund, Rural policing grant, Airwave grant, payments from the DNA programme, National Intelligence Model payments, grant to tackle robbery, Fuel distribution emergency payments, grant to tackle robbery, execution of warrants grant, Beacon scheme payments, grant to tackle street crime and one-off payments of special grant for specific events.
	(23) Capital allocations include capital grant and supplementary credit approvals. General capital allocations from 1997/98 to 2000/01 included an element of grant for major capital schemes allocated under the Priority Planning List scheme that has now concluded. The general capital allocation for 2002/03 includes #10million held as a reserve and #20million set aside for the Premises Improvement Fund. All police authorities have been invited to bid for a share of the Fund.
	Central support services cannot be broken down for individual forces.
	In addition to the above, forces benefited from additional funding for Targeted Policing Initiatives 1997–98 to 2002–03. Overall spend for Merseyside was #2.32million, Greater Manchester #1.4million and all England and Wales #29.6million.

Police

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are in post (a) in total and (b) in each police authority area.

John Denham: holding answer 29 April 2002
	I apologise for delay in responding to this Question. The table shows, for 31 March 2002, the total number of police officers for each police authority area in England and Wales.
	On 31 March 2002 total police numbers, including secondments to National Crime Squad, National Criminal Intelligence Service and central services in England and Wales were 129,603 an increase of 3,922 or 3.1 per cent. since March 2001. This is a record number of police officers and the largest annual increase in police numbers since March 1976.
	I am also pleased to report that on 31 March 2002, 19 forces in England and Wales had record numbers of police officers.
	The substantial investment we are putting into the police service is delivering the improvements that we promised. We have delivered record numbers of officers ahead of our target of April this year and police strength in March 2002 was only 400 short of the target of 130,000 police officers for 31 March 2003.
	A detailed breakdown of police personnel data can be found in Home Office Statistical Bulletin No. 10/02 (''Police Service Strength—England and Wales, 31 March 2002'') which was published on 17 September 2002. A copy has been placed in the Library. It can also be found on the internet at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hosbpubs1.
	
		Police Strength—England and Wales
		
			 Government Region Police force Strength as at 31 March 2002 
		
		
			 North East  7,004 
			  Cleveland 1,461 
			  Durham(25) 1,614 
			  Northumbria(25) 3,929 
			 North West  17,804 
			  Cheshire 2,059 
			  Cumbria 1,100 
			  Greater Manchester(25) 7,217 
			  Lancashire(25) 3,304 
			  Merseyside 4,125 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber  11,564 
			  Humberside(25) 2,058 
			  North Yorkshire(25) 1,417 
			  South Yorkshire 3,199 
			  West Yorkshire 4,889 
			 East Midlands  8,690 
			  Derbyshire 1,848 
			  Leicestershire(25) 2,100 
			  Lincolnshire 1,198 
			  Northamptonshire(25) 1,214 
			  Nottinghamshire 2,330 
			 West Midlands  12,801 
			  Staffordshire 2,133 
			  Warwickshire 969 
			  West Mercia 2,018 
			  West Midlands(25) 7,681 
			 Eastern  9,872 
			  Bedfordshire 1,069 
			  Cambridgeshire(25) 1,362 
			  Essex 2,946 
			  Hertfordshire 1,825 
			  Norfolk(25) 1,468 
			  Suffolk 1,203 
			 London  26,987 
			  City of London 764 
			  Metropolitan Police 26,223 
			 South East  15,482 
			  Hampshire(25) 3,480 
			  Kent 3,355 
			  Surrey 1,992 
			  Sussex 2,893 
			  Thames Valley 3,762 
			 South West  9,870 
			  Avon & Somerset(25) 3,096 
			  Devon & Cornwall(25) 3,053 
			  Dorset(25) 1,381 
			  Gloucestershire(25) 1,183 
			  Wiltshire 1,157 
			 Wales  7,194 
			  Dyfed Powys(25) 1,132 
			  Gwent(25) 1,333 
			  North Wales(25) 1,506 
			  South Wales 3,222 
			  England & Wales (exc. Secondments)(24) 127,267 
			 Secondments  2,336 
			  
			 TOTAL (incl. secondments)(24)  129,603 
		
	
	Notes:
	(24) Because of rounding, constituent parts may not necessarily sum to the totals.
	(25) Forces with record published numbers.

Queen Mother's Funeral

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what costs fell to his Department arising from the funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

John Denham: The only direct cost that has fallen to the home Department from the funeral of the Queen Mother was #1,817 for the notification mourning envelopes and letterhead stationery.
	The Metropolitan Police Authority has estimated additional costs to policing arising from the Queen Mother's funeral at #2million. The operation involved the deployment of 7,955 police and 1,302 civilian staff between 31 March and 9 April.
	The Home Office provides a special grant to the Metropolitan Police Service each year to take account of those costs specific to policing the capital and national events.

Yarl's Wood

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in relation to the fire at Yarl's Wood on 14 and 15 February 2002, how many detainees are unaccounted for.

Beverley Hughes: The number of detainees that are unaccounted for following the incident at Yarl's Wood removal centre has been reduced to 14 individuals. Efforts to trace and apprehend these remaining individuals continue. The Bedfordshire police conducted an exhaustive search of the site and concluded that it was highly improbable that anybody had perished in the fire.

Yarl's Wood

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those charged with violent disorder arising out of the Yarlswood incident have been convicted and sentenced.

Beverley Hughes: Twelve individuals have been charged with offences of violent disorder arising from the incident at Yarl's Wood removal centre on 14/15 February. Their trial is set for April 2003.

IND

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the advertised salary is for the new head of IND.

Beverley Hughes: The advert for this post described the salary as an attractive six-figure package. In the notes for candidates, it was stated that the post was in Senior Civil Service Pay Band 3 for which the usual maximum salary was #124,000 and that more may have been available for an exceptional candidate.

IND

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons applied for the post of head of IND; and how many were (a) men, (b) women and (c) from ethnic minorities.

Beverley Hughes: This post attracted a total of 52 applicants, of which 45 were men and seven were women. Of those who completed the Equal Opportunities monitoring form, three stated that they were from ethnic minorities. 12 forms were not returned.

Ms Yana Figurova

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reach a decision on the case of Ms Yana Figurova (Ref. No. F1025919).

Beverley Hughes: Ms Figurova's applications for leave to remain in the United Kingdom have been now allocated to a caseworker in the Integrated Casework Directorate of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. The caseworker will be making a decision shortly. Ms Figurova's legal representatives will be notified of the decision.

Rural Police Forces

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  which police forces he classifies as rural;
	(2)  how much of the Rural Policing Fund was spent by forces in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002–03 to date.

John Denham: The Rural Policing Fund was introduced in June 2000 to support the particular needs of forces with the most widespread populations. #15million was allocated in 2000–01 and #30million a year in 2001–02 and 2002–03.
	There is no formal definition of a rural force. Many police force areas will cover both rural and more urban areas. The Rural Policing Fund is allocated to police authorities with the most dispersed populations, weighted for the degree of sparsity of population. Thirty one of the forty three police forces in England and Wales benefit. A table of grant allocations is given in the table.
	
		Rural Funding Allocations—2000–01 to 2002–03
		
			 Police Authority: 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Avon & Somerset #494,892 #992,875 #993,718 
			 Bedfordshire #81,390 #163,540 #163,555 
			 Cambridgeshire #561,585 #1,125,169 #1,126,395 
			 Cheshire #115,058 #228,487 #227,493 
			 City of London 0 0 #0 
			 Cleveland 0 0 #0 
			 Cumbria #690,613 #1,370,910 #1,360,324 
			 Derbyshire #208,347 #416,190 #415,196 
			 Devon & Cornwall #1,554,673 #3,114,489 #3,128,806 
			 Dorset #221,858 #442,209 #443,158 
			 Durham #124,270 #246,803 #245,259 
			 Dyfed Powys #1,297,570 #2,588,337 #2,583,979 
			 Essex #251,315 #503,710 #504,105 
			 Gloucestershire #387,093 #776,548 #775,749 
			 Greater Manchester 0 0 0 
			 Gwent #102,895 #204,476 #203,489 
			 Hampshire #110,175 #220,430 #219,680 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 
			 Humberside #357,640 #710,250 #705,395 
			 Kent #298,863 #599,342 #599,700 
			 Lancashire #32,228 #64,054 #63,835 
			 Leicestershire #216,758 #433,988 #433,164 
			 Lincolnshire #985,951 #1,978,690 #1,984,449 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 
			 Metropolitan 0 0 0 
			 Norfolk #1,036,848 #2,078,830 #2,085,509 
			 North Wales #770,617 #1,533,723 #1,530,130 
			 North Yorkshire #1,005,224 #2,013,806 #2,018,359 
			 Northamptonshire #350,892 #704,141 #705,137 
			 Northumbria 0 0 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 
			 South Wales 0 0 0 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 0 
			 Staffordshire #138,358 #275,072 #273,147 
			 Suffolk #711,353 #1,422,627 #1,424,923 
			 Surrey #5,463 #11,048 #11,006 
			 Sussex #273,834 #550,563 #549,849 
			 Thames Valley #629,559 #1,262,860 #1,261,933 
			 Warwickshire #282,108 #562,546 #561,338 
			 West Mercia #1,157,670 #2,311,653 #2,309,690 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 
			 West Yorkshire 0 0 0 
			 Wiltshire #544,900 #1,092,634 #1,091,530 
			 All Police Authorities #15,000,00 #30,000,000 #30,000,000 
		
	
	It is a matter for the Police Authority and the Chief Officer to decide how the money will be spent for the benefit of rural communities. Police authorities which have been allocated a share of the rural policing fund are required to publish a statement on the use of the grant, in their Annual Policing and Best Value Performance Plan. Records are not collated centrally of spending by each force.

Asylum Seekers

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each site which he is considering as a possible accommodation centre for asylum seekers.

Beverley Hughes: On 14 May, we announced a shortlist of the following six sites:
	Defence Storage & Distribution Centre (DSDC) Bicester, Oxfordshire
	RAF Newton, Nottinghamshire
	Throckmorton Airfield, Worcestershire
	AirWest, Edinburgh
	Sully Hospital, Cardiff
	Hemswell Cliff, Lincolnshire
	Site searching has continued since we made our initial announcement, as we said it would. We shall not be putting into the public domain details of such sites unless and until they are considered to be serious prospect for the siting of an accommodation centre.

Asylum Seekers

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each of the last five years for which statistics are available the number of asylum applicants (a) granted refugee status, (b) granted exceptional leave to remain and (c) refused, classified in each case as (i) post or (ii) in-country applications.

Beverley Hughes: The information available is shown in the table.
	The initial decision outcome data shown may reflect the different mix of nationalities who apply at port and in-country as well as any difference between port and in-country applications in the type of cases. In-country applications constitute a mix between those who apply at the Asylum Screening Unit in Croydon, postal applications, and those who apply through Local Enforcement Offices (including efforts by South East Ports Surveillance Team and as a result of operations against illegal working).
	
		Initial decisions(26),(27),(28) made on applications for asylum in the UK, lodged at port and in-country, excluding dependants
		
			  Total Initial Decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Total refusals Granted asylum or exceptional leave under backlog criteria(29),(30) Refused under backlog criteria(29),(31) 
			  Total Port In Country Total Port In Country Total Port In Country Total Port In Country Total Port In Country Total Port In Country 
		
		
			 1997 36,045 14,845 21,200 3,985 1,475 2,510 3,115 1,525 1,590 28,945 11,845 17,100 – – – – – – 
			 1998 31,570 14,650 16,920 5,345 2,100 3,245 3,910 2,505 1,405 22,315 10,045 12,270 – – – – – – 
			 1999 33,720 17,335 16,385 7,815 3,565 4,250 2,465 1,950 515 11,025 7,420 3,605 11,140 3,830 7,310 1,275 570 705 
			 2000 109,205 52,775 56,435 10,375 5,475 4,900 11,495 6,410 5,085 75,680 36,990 38,690 10,325 3,530 6,795 1,335 370 965 
			 2001p 119,015 38,755 80,260 11,180 3,685 7,495 19,845 7,230 12,610 87,990 27,840 60,150 – – – – – – 
		
	
	Notes:
	(26) Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications received in the same period.
	(27) Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
	(28) Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
	(29) Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.
	(30) Includes cases where asylum or exceptional leave has been granted under the backlog criteria.
	(31) Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
	p Provisional figures.

Asylum Seekers

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if children with special educational needs who are living in accommodation centres will receive full-time education in (a) a local school or (b) the accommodation centre.

Beverley Hughes: There will be an initial assessment of learning needs when children enter an accommodation centre. If any children are identified as having needs that can only be meet outside the centre, then the Local Education Authorities (LEA) will be able to arrange for suitable education to be provided. However, we believe there will be very few such children. Most children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) should be educated with their peers within the centre, just as other children with SEN are mostly taught in mainstream schools.

Asylum Seekers

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the categories of children who will be considered as special cases for the purpose of education provision in accommodation centres.

Beverley Hughes: It is important to take account of those children whose individual needs cannot be met in the centres and that is why the Government has made provision for flexibility in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill. Having said that, those who are gifted but lack good English are likely to benefit from the intensive language support they will get in the centre, and those with good English should also be catered for in that the centre will be providing a wide curriculum at all levels.
	Parents, and the Centres themselves, will be able to ask Local Education Authorities (LEA) to carry out a Special Educational Needs (SEN) assessment, which will help determine whether a centre can make suitable provision for particular pupils with SEN or whether additional support from LEA services is required on a continuing (rather than occasional) basis by way of a statement. If a statement is made, the child may continue to be taught in the Centre with additional support from the LEA. Alternatively, if this is not possible, placement in a special school may be arranged. LEAs will also be able to conclude that a mainstream school placement is necessary, for example in circumstances where local specialist provision is made wholly in units in such schools.
	Most children with SEN should be educated with their peers within the centre, just as other children with SEN are mostly taught in mainstream schools.

Mandatory Sentences

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were given a mandatory sentence for (a) domestic burglary and (b) drug dealing in 2001.

Hilary Benn: Statistics for 2001 will be available in December.
	However, information held centrally on the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, relating to England and Wales, shows that in 2000 no mandatory sentences for domestic burglary were passed but that two mandatory sentences were passed for drug trafficking.

Correspondence

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letter of 2 May to the former Immigration Minister from the hon. Member for Aylesbury on behalf of Mr. D. C. about Miss S. A. (reference PO 9135/2).

Beverley Hughes: I wrote to the hon. Member on 21 October. I am sorry he did not receive an earlier reply.

Hospitals (Charitable Status)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for altering the charitable status of hospitals and other medical facilities outside the NHS.

Beverley Hughes: The Strategy Unit report ''Private Action, Public Benefit'', published on 25 September 2002, recommends to Government that charitable status be redefined in a way that includes the advancement of health as a charitable purpose.
	None of the objects currently recognised as charitable would be excluded in the new definition. The Government is currently consulting on the proposals.

Work Permits

Irene Adams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have applied for work permits in Scotland in the last 12 months.

Beverley Hughes: Information is not recorded onto the system by employer location therefore details regarding the number of work permits issued for Scotland cannot be extrapolated.

Work Permits

Irene Adams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for work permits have been rejected in the last 12 months.

Beverley Hughes: In the last 12 months to date (16 October 2001–15 October 2002) 14,063 work permit applications have been refused. This is 10.6 per cent. of the total number of applications in that period.

Personal Data

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in relation to personal data linked to fingerprints or DNA stored on national police computers, whether the personal data are marked to identify those personal data which are associated with individuals who are not criminals or who are not suspected of any criminality; and if he will make a statement concerning compliance with the Third and Fifth Data Protection Principles in relation to these personal data.

John Denham: The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 allows for the retention of all fingerprints and DNA samples taken on suspicion of involvement in a criminal offence. These may be used only for the purposes of prevention and detection of crime, the investigation of an offence or the conduct of a prosecution.
	The legislation has been challenged in the courts under the European Convention of Human Rights. On 12 September 2002 the legislation was ruled in the Court of Appeal to have not contravened the Convention. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Home Office have been looking at how the police can best use the opportunities provided by the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001. A revision of the rules governing the weeding of records from the Police National Computer is being examined in parallel with consideration of the best way to retain data on fingerprints and DNA from individuals who have been acquitted. The Information Commissioner's Office is being fully consulted on this exercise.
	The DNA profiles of individuals who have had samples taken lawfully under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, but against whom the prosecution was not proceeded with or who were subsequently acquitted by the courts, can be identified on the National DNA Database. DNA samples are retained and used solely for the purposes of prevention and detection of crime, the investigation of an offence or the conduct of a prosecution and such use does not contravene data protection legislation. Currently the fingerprints of persons who are acquitted or against whom charges have not been proceeded with are weeded from the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) system. Once the acquittal/not proceeded with information is put on the Police National Computer a message is sent to NAFIS and the fingerprint record deleted. In light of the changes in the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, further proposals are under consideration in relation to the system to allow for the retention of fingerprints on NAFIS in such cases.

Personal Data

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances a police officer can take (a) fingerprints and (b) DNA samples from those stopped for motoring offences.

John Denham: Whether the police can take fingerprints or samples in relation to an alleged motoring offence will depend on the specific circumstances.
	Under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE), fingerprints or samples can only be taken with the consent of a suspect detained at a police station unless specific provisions apply.
	Fingerprints can be taken without consent with the authority of an officer of at least superintendent rank who has reasonable grounds for suspecting the involvement of the person in a criminal offence and for believing that the fingerprints will tend to confirm or disprove his involvement or will facilitate ascertaining his identity; from a person who has been charged with a recordable offence or informed that he will be reported for such an offence and has not previously had his fingerprints taken in relation to that offence; or from a person convicted of a recordable offence.
	Non-intimate samples can be taken without consent with the authority of an officer of at least superintendent rank who has reasonable grounds for suspecting the involvement of the person in a recordable offence and for believing that the sample will tend to confirm or disprove his involvement; from a person who has been charged with a recordable offence or informed that he will be reported for such an offence and either has not had a sample taken from him in the course of the investigation of the offence or has had a sample taken which was either unsuitable for analysis or insufficient; or from a person convicted of a recordable offence.

Asylum

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum were received at Stranraer port during each of the past five years.

Beverley Hughes: The figures are not available for all of the period in question.
	The number of new asylum applications lodged at Stranraer is as follows:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 1 January—31 December 2000 10 
			 1 January—31 December 2001 36 
			 1 January—12 October 2002 127 
		
	
	These figures may be subject to revision.

Asylum

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what facilities for processing asylum applications are available at Stranraer port.

Beverley Hughes: Passenger traffic at Stranraer is within the Common Travel Area between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Therefore, it is not designated as a Port of Entry within the provisions of the Immigration Acts. Immigration Service staff operate at Stranraer in support of Police controls operated by Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary, from whom suspected immigration offenders are referred. Any person who claims asylum during such enquiries is initially processed by the Immigration Service within police accommodation at Stranraer Police Station. Such persons may then be granted temporary release or transferred to Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre pending resolution of their asylum applications.

Drug Dealers, Brixton

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number of drug dealers in the London Borough of Brixton in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001 and (d) 22002.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not available.

Distraction Burglaries

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much he spent last year on public awareness campaigns about distraction burglaries.

John Denham: holding answer 15 October 2002
	#664,000 was spent in 2001–02 by the Home Office Distraction Burglary Taskforce on activities to raise awareness of distraction burglary. The activities included producing publicity and educational materials such as a Good Practice Toolkit, videos for use with members of the public and for practitioners, a leaflet for householders, newsletters and other promotional materials and equipment.
	In addition, between November 2001 and March 2002 the Task Force held a series of 11 regional seminars on distraction burglary, which received substantial press coverage.
	We have also provided funding for projects targeting distraction burglary in Sheffield (#288,000 by March 2002) and Leeds (#554,000 by March 2003), which involved substantial elements of publicity and education of vulnerable groups.

Distraction Burglaries

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many distraction burglaries took place last year; and what steps he is taking to inform elderly, disabled and infirm people about bogus house-callers.

John Denham: holding answer 15 October 2002
	There is no separate recordable offence category of distraction burglary. However, the figures we have received from police forces indicate that some 19,500 offences were recorded as distraction burglaries in 2001–02.
	We set up the Distraction Burglary Taskforce in 2000 with #1 million funding to tackle the problem. Its membership is drawn from a wide range of organisations involved in different ways with older adults and other vulnerable groups, including the police, utility companies, local authorities and voluntary bodies.
	Amongst other things, the Taskforce has produced a Good Practice Toolkit, which is available on the Crime Reduction Website (www.crimereduction.gov.uk/burglary48.htm), and is being distributed to key practitioners. It has also produced two videos and a leaflet on distraction burglary, together with posters and door stickers. The Taskforce held a series of regional seminars on distraction burglary between October 2001 and March 2002. These were attended by representatives of a wide range of organisations with an interest in the needs of older adults.
	We have also funded a two-year programme to provide home security upgrades such as better door locks, window locks, door chains and spy-holes for low income pensioners in areas with burglary rates above the national average. Over 55,000 homes have received up-grades together with advice on home security. The scheme has been run in conjunction with the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA's) Warm Front scheme, which provides heating and insulation improvements.

Special Constables

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables were serving in (a) Sussex police and (b) Highdown division in each year since 1997.

John Denham: holding answer 15 October 2002
	Police Personnel statistics are collected by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate every six months. The figures are collected per force and not at divisional level. The figures available for the Sussex Special Constabulary as a whole at 31 March each year since 1997 are given in the table below:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 1997 472 
			 1998 442 
			 1999 393 
			 2000 352 
			 2001 306 
			 2002 306 
		
	
	Note:
	* Statistics provided by Research Development and Statistics Directorate.
	The special constabulary is a key element of the reform agenda. Specials have a vital role to play in reducing crime and providing reassurance to the public. We are committed to increasing the number of specials. In May we announced a new headline role for specials, focusing on intelligence led patrolling and crime reduction initiatives. Also in May we introduced a new foundation training package for specials. With the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) we are preparing, good practice guidance which will help forces to develop their strategies for improving both the recruitment and retention of specials.

Hilda Murrell

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress made in the Hilda Murrell murder investigation.

John Denham: A major crime review of the 1984 murder enquiry into the death of Hilda Murrell was launched in April 2002. It is being conducted in line with West Mercia Police force policy and guidance from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), issued in 1998, which states that undetected major crimes should be periodically reviewed. The review is proceeding according to plan.
	The objectives of the review, drawn up by West Mercia Police force's Chief Officers, are:
	1 To attempt to identify and report on what investigative opportunities exist within the current enquiry that may assist in detecting the crime.
	2 To ensure the existing enquiry paper, audio, exhibits and other documents are maintained in the best possible state for subsequent investigative action and review.
	3 To produce a report with recommendations for further action.
	I understand that in order to ensure that the potential of the review is fully explored, experts from a range of fields—including the National Crime Operations Faculty (CENTREX)—are being consulted.
	The original enquiry was paper-based and pre-dated the HOLMES computerised enquiry system. It ran for over two years, nearly 3,000 statements were taken, over 2,500 exhibits seized or referred to and many thousands of other documents contained within the investigation file. A significant part of the review involves capturing the case information on modern computerised systems to allow more efficient analysis. Whilst this process is ongoing other material held by the enquiry is being assessed and reviewed for forensic potential and opportunities.
	Due to the size and complexity of the review, the process of data capture will not be completed before the end of 2002. The forensic review will require a staged submission of identified items, and it is therefore difficult to accurately predict when that process will be complete. However, the current estimate is the last quarter of 2003 at the earliest.

Jubilee Celebrations

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has received from the Metropolitan Police of the numbers of people present in and near the Mall on each day of the Jubilee celebrations.

John Denham: The Metropolitan Police inform me that the following numbers of people were estimated to be present in and near the Mall on each day of the Golden Jubilee celebrations.
	1 June – Classical concert within the grounds of Buckingham Palace relayed to screens located in the Mall. The estimated attendance in and near Mall was 50,000 to 70,000.
	2 June – No event.
	3 June – Music event at Hyde Park. Concert within the grounds of Buckingham Palace relayed to screens in the Mall, followed by a fireworks display outside Buckingham Palace. The estimated audience during the course of the day was 800,000 to 1,000,000.
	4 June—State procession from Buckingham Palace to St. Paul's Cathedral, followed by pageant. All of these events were also relayed to screens in the area of the Mall, St. James's Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Trafalgar Square. The estimated attendance for these events was in the region of 1,000,000.

Roadside Checks

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many roadside checks were carried out by each police force during the last 12 months for the purposes of (a) speed, (b) use of seat belts and child restraints, (c) vehicle safety and roadworthiness and (d) influence of alcohol or drugs.

John Denham: Information is not available centrally on the number of roadside checks carried out by the police on motorists. However, available information by type of police action is given in the table.
	
		Motoring Offences (Speeding, seat belts, vehicle condition & driving after consuming alcohol/drugs) dealt with by official police action and police force area. England and Wales 2000
		
			  Speed limit offences(32) Seat belt offences(33) Vehicle defect offences(34) consuming alcohol/drugs(35) 
			  Written Warnings Fixed Penalties Proceedings at magistrates' courts Total dealt with Written Warnings Fixed Penalties Proceedings at magistrates' courts Total dealt with Written Warnings Fixed Penalties Proceedings at magistrates' courts Total dealt with Written Warnings Proceedings at magistrates' courts Total dealt with 
		
		
			 Avon & Somerset 70 36,122 4,671 40,863 3 4,360 102 4,465 75 107 1,446 1,628 1 2,719 2,720 
			 Bedfordshire 12,862 16,707 2,316 31,885 — 3,841 37 3,878 1 44 198 243 — 884 884 
			 Cambridgeshire 2 8,708 1,692 10,402 1 1,639 73 1,713 1 62 333 396 — 882 882 
			 Cheshire 223 15,356 4,805 20,384 1 3,229 68 3,298 8 149 685 842 — 1,899 1,899 
			 Cleveland 1,317 23,228 1,126 25,671 2,469 1,653 87 4,209 89 112 1,219 1,420 — 858 858 
			 Cumbria 4 4,103 1,610 5,717 9 1,360 145 1,514 38 323 862 1,223 1 874 875 
			 Derbyshire 16 18,291 5,308 23,615 — 3,535 84 3,619 68 106 1,116 1,290 — 1,599 1,599 
			 Devon & Cornwall 39 28,091 5,324 33,454 9 5,588 118 5,715 26 178 1,102 1,306 — 2,421 2,421 
			 Dorset — 18,305 1,456 19,761 — 4,959 32 4,991 3 198 294 495 — 1,244 1,244 
			 Durham 4 9,180 1,458 10,642 6 3,146 89 3,241 8 37 1,164 1,209 2 1,218 1,220 
			 Essex 7 102,326 6,887 109,220 1 6,734 125 6,860 4 77 787 868 1 2,702 2,703 
			 Gloucestershire 28 5,781 2,675 8,484 2 1,393 25 1,420 1 46 661 708 — 891 891 
			 Gt Manchester 89 59,765 15,263 75,117 21 10,241 706 10,968 22 647 2,478 3,147 — 5,186 5,186 
			 Hampshire 264 27,566 6,498 34,328 6 4,246 209 4,461 28 93 1,877 1,998 12 3,812 3,824 
			 Hertfordshire 124 23,956 2,635 26,715 19 3,639 81 3,739 239 80 919 1,238 3 1,691 1,694 
			 Humberside 2 22,209 2,181 24,392 5 3,963 81 4,049 10 258 818 1,086 — 1,468 1,468 
			 Kent 25 24,617 2,501 27,143 2 4,707 54 4,763 30 543 2,786 3,359 1 2,807 2,808 
			 Lancashire 3 29,683 5,932 35,618 — 9,787 348 10,135 20 706 2,291 3,017 — 2,879 2,879 
			 Leicestershire 1 8,094 2,124 10,219 3 2,086 102 2,191 33 280 669 982 6 1,651 1,657 
			 Lincolnshire 22 26,319 3,724 30,065 7 2,359 64 2,430 18 20 627 665 — 911 911 
			 London, City of 1 353 206 560 — 186 5 191 1 22 302 325 — 193 193 
			 Merseyside 1,943 7,385 1,651 10,979 874 2,831 261 3,966 111 170 807 1,088 7 2,515 2,522 
			 Met Police 32 54,843 9,175 64,050 44 6,270 630 6,944 45 1,725 7,479 9,249 7 14,166 14,173 
			 Norfolk — 4,783 1,482 6,265 — 3,547 62 3,609 — 71 540 611 — 1,014 1,014 
			 Northamptonshire — 35,489(36) 288 35,777 — 1,245 15 1,260 3 9 412 424 1 898 899 
			 Northumbria 747 24,265 3,920 28,932 584 3,952 281 4,817 166 819 2,339 3,324 1 2,958 2,959 
			 North Yorkshire 3 5,295 1,303 6,601 — 1,293 58 1,351 18 112 390 520 — 1,160 1,160 
			 Nottinghamshire 347 23,766 1,497 25,610 — 1,391 83 1,474 — 7 1,007 1,014 — 1,915 1,915 
			 South Yorkshire 2 20,987 2,769 23,758 5 5,782 135 5,922 17 470 1,607 2,094 — 2,322 2,322 
			 Staffordshire 26 13,969 .. 16,518(37) 18 2,212 .. 2,291(37) 78 130 .. 1,917(37) 4 .. 2,014(37) 
			 Suffolk 2 12,596 1,292 13,890 18 1,423 65 1,506 19 83 474 576 — 1,002 1,002 
			 Surrey 34 12,072 3,127 15,233 — 5,696 88 5,784 27 112 804 943 2 1,729 1,731 
			 Sussex 17 24,990 4,681 29,688 1 5,349 85 5,435 17 105 540 662 32 2,327 2,359 
			 Thames Valley 87 71,888 8,784 80,759 2 7,142 174 7,318 10 288 1,061 1,359 1 3,921 3,922 
			 Warwickshire 3,260 2,099 4,825 10,184 1,183 881 49 2,113 231 48 652 931 — 855 855 
			 West Mercia 144 22,150 2,989 25,283 — 2,266 116 2,382 38 343 1,351 1,732 — 1,741 1,741 
			 West Midlands 9 5,668 4,099 9,776 3 3,411 310 3,724 29 380 2,229 2,638 1 5,212 5,213 
			 West Yorkshire 13 24,595 6,222 30,830 9 4,484 236 4,729 21 283 1,715 2,019 1 3,798 3,799 
			 Wiltshire 212 16,351 2,606 19,169 — 3,047 78 3,125 12 64 561 637 — 997 997 
			  
			 Total England 21,981 891,951 143,625 1,057,557 5,305 144,873 5,422 155,600 1,565 9,307 48,311 59,183 84 89,329 89,413 
			 Dyfed Powys 5 8,840 1,035 9,880 3 1,617 48 1,668 50 105 476 631 1 985 986 
			 Gwent 45 16,518 4,123 20,686 3 3,288 61 3,352 15 95 755 865 4 1,341 1,345 
			 North Wales 21 16,980 2,987 19,988 4 2,533 55 2,592 20 173 624 817 — 1,430 1,430 
			 South Wales 2,051 54,383 2,898 59,332 848 2,990 154 3,992 61 241 1,326 1,628 2 3,075 3,077 
			  
			 Total Wales 2,122 96,721 11,043 109,886 858 10,428 318 11,604 146 614 3,181 3,941 7 6,831 6,838 
			  
			 Total England & Wales 24,103 988,672 154,668 1,167,443 6,163 155,301 5,740 167,204 1,711 9,921 51,492 63,124 91 96,160 96,251 
		
	
	Notes:
	(32) All speed limit offences: Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 secs 16, 81, 84, 86, 88 & 89. Motor Vehicles (Speed Limits on Motorways) Regulations 1973. Parks Regulation (Amendment) Act 1926 and byelaws made thereunder
	(33) Seat Belt offences: Road Traffic Act 1988 secs 14 (3), 15 (2) & (4).
	(34) Vehicle or part in dangerous or defective condition: Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, Regs 7, 8, 11, 16, 18, 22 to 24, 25 to 27, 29, 30 to 39, 45 to 48, 61, 63, 71, 100. Schedule 3, Road Traffic Act 1988 secs 40A (a) & (b), 41A, 42 as added by the Road Traffic Act 1991, sec 8.
	(35) Driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs: Road Traffic Act 1988 secs 4 (1) & (2), 5 (1) (a) & (b), 6 (4), 7 (6). (Fixed Penalty Notices not issued for these offences).
	(36) Amended data Northamptonshire Police have revised figures down from published figures of 70,298.
	(37) Proceedings at magistrates' courts—estimates made for Staffordshire Police Force, who were only able to supply data for a sample of weeks in 2000, have been included in totals only.
	..Not available

Safety Cameras

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of the safety camera initiative on the numbers of police officers employed on speed enforcement duties in those areas where it has been implemented.

John Denham: The use of automatic road safety cameras, which operate at all times, and act as a continuous deterrent to speeding, does not need uniformed attendance. It therefore frees up police resources for other purposes, including other traffic law enforcement.

Air Weapons

Joyce Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had in relation to air weapons including (a) minimum age for possession of such weapons and (b) a licensing system.

Bob Ainsworth: In addition to meeting a delegation lead by the hon. Friend for Gateshead East and Washington West, I have met other MPs and the victim of a very serious assault with an air weapon and his parents. In order to obtain an overall assessment of the effectiveness of existing controls, I have also been in contact with organisations such as the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, the Gun Trade Association, the Forensic Science Service and the Association of Chief Police Officers.
	We are determined to tackle the problem of air weapon misuse and are looking very carefully at all aspects of the problem with a view to determining whether or not any changes in the present age limits or the introduction of a suitable registration system might help to ensure that air weapons are used safely and responsibly at all times.

Football Banning Orders

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long after the issue of a banning order for travelling to an overseas football match a relevant reason remains a consideration for the maintenance of the banning order.

John Denham: The duration of a football banning order is determined by the court in accordance with criteria set out in section 14F of the Football Spectators Act 1989. An individual may apply to the court for the order to be terminated once it has been in force for two-thirds of the period determined by the court.

Guns

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what steps the Government are taking to ensure that deactivated guns are not reactivated;
	(2)  what the Government's role has been since 1997 in deactivating guns; if he will make a statement on the process of deactivating guns; and where such guns are stored once deactivated.

Bob Ainsworth: Under section 8 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 any gun may be considered to be deactivated and thus no longer a firearm if it bears a proof mark to that effect and has had a certificate of deactivation issued by one of the two Proof Houses. To assist in this process the Home Office issued a set of specifications in 1989 against which a deactivated firearm could be compared. These were subsequently revised and more stringent specifications have applied since 1995. There is no substantial evidence to suggest that guns deactivated to these later standards are being successfully restored to working order.
	The Proof Houses have the authority to reject any deactivated firearms submitted to them which do not conform with the approved specifications. However, section 8 is only an evidential provision and does not preclude the possibility that a firearm which has been deactivated in some other manner may also have ceased to be a firearm within the meaning of section 57(1) of the Firearms Act 1968. In the event of a prosecution it would be for the courts to decide whether or not this was the case.
	There are no legal requirements regarding the storage of deactivated firearms.
	We are looking in conjunction with the European Commission at the need to establish stricter controls on deactivation standards throughout Europe.

Immigration

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people failed to comply with the conditions associated with their temporary immigration status in each year since 1997; and how many were reprimanded as a result;
	(2)  how many persons have been temporarily admitted to the UK in each year since 1997; and what sanctions are used in the event of non-compliance with the conditions associated with their temporary status.

Beverley Hughes: The information requested, on the number of persons who have been temporarily admitted to the United Kingdom, have failed to comply with the conditions associated with their temporary immigration status, and were reprimanded as a result, is not available.
	Failure to comply with the conditions attached to a grant of temporary admission or release without a reasonable excuse is an offence under section 24(1)(e) of the Immigration Act 1971. Depending on the circumstances, consideration may also be given to varying the conditions or detaining the person concerned.
	Information from the Home Office Court Proceedings database on a principal immigration offence basis indicates that in 2000, four persons were prosecuted under section 24(1)(e) of the Immigration Act 1971, and three were found guilty. Information for 2001 is due to be published in the Command Paper ''Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2001'' on 29 November 2002.

Immigration

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to modify the systems for tracking illegal immigrants.

Beverley Hughes: The nature of illegal entry is such that it is not possible to track every individual who has entered the United Kingdom unlawfully.
	However, on detection, those liable to removal may be granted temporary admission pending a decision whether to grant leave or remove.
	Temporary admission may be subject to conditions of residence, employment and reporting to the Police or an Immigration Officer. Failure to comply with these conditions is an offence. A person detained under Immigration Act powers may be released on bail, subject to conditions, which may include a requirement to report.
	I outlined in my reply to the hon. Member of 16 July, Official Report, column 224W, measures for contact management which are in place to track and monitor all failed asylum seekers whether illegal entrants or not. This is to ensure that they are removed from the United Kingdom if they do not appeal or as soon as possible after their appeal rights have been exhausted. Since my earlier reply the number of designated reporting centres has been increased to eight, and plans are in hand to enhance contact management further by the use of mobile reporting centres, Immigration Service teams using specified police stations for reporting and for visiting asylum seekers at their accommodation.
	The Immigration and Nationality Directorate are currently undertaking a project to amalgamate their Ports, Enforcement and Casework Information Technology Systems into a joint database. This project is in its early stages. However, once completed, it should enhance our ability to track those illegal entrants who have been detected.
	Additionally, the Government is developing strategies to detect clandestine illegal entrants before they get to the United Kingdom. On 12 July my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary agreed a range of measures with his French counterpart to reduce the level of illegal immigration between France and the United Kingdom. As part of this the Immigration Service is committed to deploying new detection technology (such as heart beat detectors and millimetric wave imagers) at Calais and other continental ports.
	The government has also created Reflex, a multi-agency forum to direct all activity against organised immigration crime targeting the United Kingdom. Reflex aims to reduce the profits made by the criminal gangs, raise the risks they face and reduce the opportunities for them to exploit individuals, thereby reducing the flow of illegal migrants to the United Kingdom. It achieves this through a combination of overseas and United Kingdom based activity. Since April 2002, 16 organised crime groups involved in people smuggling and trafficking have been disrupted and there are currently 60 operations targeting serious criminal involvement ongoing. Nine Immigration Liaison Officers have been posted overseas to work closely with local law enforcement to disrupt the flows of illegal migrants to the United Kingdom and a United Kingdom-led project assisting the State Border Service in Bosnia has seen a reduction of over 90 per cent. of potential illegal migrants passing through Sarajevo airport.

Mobile Phones

David Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many (a) car, (b) bus, (c) taxi, (d) coach drivers and (e) cyclists have been prosecuted for offences involving the use of a hand held mobile phone in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many tourist coach drivers have been prosecuted for offences involving the use of a hand held microphone in each of the last three years.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 15 October 2002
	There is no separate offence for driving a motor vehicle (of any type) using a hand-held mobile telephone. In the main prosecutions are likely to be for driving without due care and attention or not being in proper control of a vehicle. For drivers of public transport these offences are also covered under specific regulation, a pedal cyclist is likely to be prosecuted for the offence of careless riding.

Firearms

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving firearms occurred in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02.

Bob Ainsworth: The number of recorded crimes involving firearms in the year ending March 2002 is not yet available. The numbers of such crimes in the previous year, which were published in ''Criminal Statistics England and Wales 2000'' in December 2001, were 7,362 recorded crimes in which a firearm other than an air weapon was used, and 10,227 recorded crimes in which an air weapon was used.

PRIVY COUNCIL

European Union Institutions

Graham Allen: To ask the President of the Council what percentage of hon. Members have used the facility of a visit to an EU institution in each of the years for which figures are available; and what steps he has taken to encourage greater take up of this facility.

Robin Cook: The number of hon. Members who have visited EU institutions under this scheme is as follows:
	
		
			 Year No of Members Percentage (%) 
		
		
			 1998–9 65 9.9 
			 1999–00 61 9.3 
			 2000–1 72 10.9 
			 2001–2 80 12.1 
			 2002–3 (first six months) 76 11.5 
		
	
	The ''quick guide'' to members' allowances contains details of the entitlement. This was sent out to all Members in May, and further copies are available from the Department of Finance and Administration.
	The House itself approved an amendment of the scheme on 9 May, to allow up to three visits each year to national parliaments of EU member states and those of candidate countries, in addition to EU institutions in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg.
	I understand that Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials are ready to assist Members using the allowance, and I am pleased my hon. Friend has given me the opportunity to remind Members of its existence.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Structural Unemployment

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many parliamentary constituencies have levels of unemployment of 2 per cent. or less.

Nick Brown: The number of constituencies with claimant unemployment rates of 2 per cent. or less is 187. In 1997 there were only 44.
	Our policies have reduced claimant unemployment by over 40 per cent. in the last five years. And it is not just these constituencies that have benefited; unemployment has fallen in every area across the country.

New Deal

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the New Deal for 50 plus.

Nick Brown: New Deal 50 plus has been successful with over 81,000 people so far moving into work and claiming the Employment Credit. Evaluation of the programme has shown that it is providing people with the increased motivation and confidence they need to find work.
	The success of New Deal 50 plus is contributing to our wider campaign to tackle age discrimination and improve prospects of older people.

New Deal

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the take-up of the New Deal for Lone Parents.

Nick Brown: By the end of June this year nearly 300,000 lone parents had participated in the New Deal and over half of these had found work, including 170 in my hon. Friend's constituency.
	We are continuing to roll out compulsory Personal Adviser meetings for lone parents claiming Income Support. These meetings ensure that lone parents find out about the New Deal and all the other help and support we have introduced to enable them to move into work.

New Deal

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the New Deal for lone parents.

Nick Brown: We know that nine out of ten lone parents want to work and the New Deal for Lone Parents, along with a wide range of measures we have introduced, is helping them to help themselves. Since 1997 the number of lone parents dependent on Income Support has fallen by over 150,000.
	The New Deal for Lone Parents is part of our long-term investment to make a real difference to the lives of lone parents and lift them and their children out of poverty.

New Deal

Piara S Khabra: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to increase the involvement of employers in the formulation of New Deal programmes.

Nick Brown: Employers are a key partner in the achievement of our objectives to tackle poverty by helping more people move into work. We want employers to have a strong voice in the development of our welfare to work policies and services.
	The National Employment Panel is an employer-led body that provides independent advice to Ministers on the design, delivery and performance of the UK Government's labour market policies and programmes. Its remit encompasses all the New Deals and other welfare to work activities delivered by the Department and its partner organisations at both national and local levels.

Progress 2 Work Scheme

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the Progress 2 Work Scheme for recovering drug mis-users.

Nick Brown: We are introducing progress2work to give unemployed people who are recovering from their drug problem the extra help they need to get into work.
	Progress2work provides additional specialist support to help recovering drug users to make the best use of our welfare to work initiatives. It will also equip Jobcentre Plus staff with the skills and knowledge they need to better identify, and refer to appropriate provision, people whose drug misuse puts them at a disadvantage in the labour market. And it will bring more local and national co-ordination to provision in this field.
	We launched the first progress2work projects in the spring in 27 pathfinder areas throughout the country. The second phase of the initiative begins in a further 36 areas from this month, and we plan to roll out the programme nationally from next year.

Progress 2 Work Scheme

Lawrie Quinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what help he will give to people considered by employers to be unemployable.

Nick Brown: We are committed to the goal of employment opportunity for all. Building on a foundation of a strong and stable economy, we have introduced measures to ensure that everyone of working age has the chance, and is encouraged, to be in work.
	In April we launched Jobcentre Plus to deliver work focused support for all people claiming working age benefits. Jobcentre Plus will provide a single, integrated service, providing people with the help they need to move into work, and working closely with employers to encourage them to open up more job opportunities to Jobcentre Plus clients.
	Our New Deals are providing the help people need to overcome the barriers they face when trying to move into work. The New Deals have already helped nearly three-quarters of a million people move into work and improved the job prospects of thousands more by giving them the skills, experience and confidence to succeed in the labour market.
	We are also introducing further measures to help those people who continue to face significant barriers to work. For example:
	we are introducing 20 StepUP pilots to provide transitional jobs for long-term unemployed people;
	we will shortly roll out the second phase of progress2work, providing recovering drug mis-users with the extra help they need to get into work;
	and later this month we will begin piloting extra support for other disadvantaged groups such as ex-offenders and homeless people.

Rural Employment

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what policies he is pursuing to assist the long-term unemployed in rural areas.

Nick Brown: Since 1997 long-term unemployment in rural areas has been cut by 78 per cent. Our policies, based on the foundation of a strong and stable economy, have played an important part in this success.
	The New Deals have helped nearly three quarters of a million people in all parts of the country move off benefit and into work. They have performed particularly well in rural areas. For example, nearly 60 per cent. of those leaving the New Deal for Young People in rural areas have moved into jobs.
	Employment Zones and Action Teams for Jobs are helping people from the most deprived areas of the country move into work. The Action Teams and Employment Zones operating in predominantly rural areas have between them helped over 11,500 people into jobs.
	With the introduction of Jobcentre Plus, we aim to make our services more accessible to a wider group of people. We are building on the services we already offer over the telephone and internet such as Jobseeker Direct and Worktrain. We are also developing new ways of bringing Jobcentre Plus services to those who need them through, for example, mobile offices covering remote areas.
	We have introduced a number of initiatives to help unemployed people in rural areas overcome the transport barriers they may face. The New Deal can, for example, help participants meet the costs of travelling to their work or training placement. The Adviser Discretion Fund, which we introduced in July 2001, allows New Deal Personal Advisers to spend up to #300 to help individuals overcome barriers to work, including transport difficulties.
	Employment Zones and Action Teams for Jobs are also helping overcome transport problems in rural areas, for example, by giving grants to clients for the purchase of scooters, bicycles or other vehicles to help them get to work. They can also help with the cost of taxing or insuring vehicles. In addition, they have helped to set up and subsidise bus routes to take jobless people to areas where work is available and run car lease schemes.
	To build on this success, in April we launched the Transport Projects Fund, worth #5 million a year. Action Teams can bid for additional money from the Fund to support innovative transport projects that will benefit the local community.

Transport Difficulties

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to help unemployed people for whom transport difficulties are an obstacle to getting back to work.

Nick Brown: We recognise that the cost and availability of transport can be a barrier to work for unemployed people and have measures in place to help jobseekers overcome such difficulties and move into work.
	Jobseekers can receive help with the costs of travelling to job interviews through the Travel to Interview Scheme. Last year, the scheme helped nearly 40,000 people attend interviews. In my hon. Friend's constituency, following a survey of local people, Jobcentre Plus and the Local Authority will be setting up a working group, involving the bus companies and local MPs, to improve the bus links for people who are in work or looking for work.
	New Deal participants can also receive help to meet the costs of travelling to their work or training placement. Through an agreement between Jobcentre Plus and the Association of Train Operating Companies, New Deal clients can receive a reduction in the cost of rail travel. Similar agreements exist with other transport providers at regional and local level. In the Jobcentre Plus District serving my hon. Friend's constituency, this has led to the availability of reduced fares with 9 public service operators, including First Cymru.
	The Adviser Discretion Fund, which we introduced in July 2001, allows New Deal Personal Advisers to spend up to #300 to help individuals overcome barriers to work, including transport problems. The help provided can include, for example, paying for travel passes or helping with the cost of taxing a car. Up to May 2002, well over 120,000 awards has been made from the Fund.
	Employment Zones and Action Teams for Jobs are also helping overcome transport difficulties, for example, by giving grants to clients for the purchase of scooters, bicycles or other vehicles to help them get to work. They can also help with the cost of taxing or insuring vehicles. In addition, they have helped to set up and subsidise bus routes to take jobless people to areas where work is available and run car lease schemes.
	To build on this success, in April we launched the Transport Projects Fund, worth #5 million a year. Action Teams can bid for additional money from the Fund to support innovative transport projects that will benefit the local community.

Nottingham

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what contribution his Department has made to employment in Nottingham North since 1997.

Nick Brown: Since 1997 the employment rate in Nottingham North has risen by 8.2 percentage points and the number of unemployed claimants has fallen by 31 per cent. Long term unemployment (12 months and over) has fallen by over 60 per cent. and the number of young people unemployed for 6 months or more is down by 70 per cent.
	Building on the foundation of a strong and stable economy, the New Deals have helped nearly three-quarters of a million people in all parts of the country move off benefit and into work, including 1,700 people in my hon. Friend's constituency. An Action Team for Jobs and, Progress2Work and Ambition: construction initiatives are also operating in Nottingham North, providing further help and support to people moving from welfare to work.

Nottingham

Paul Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what help he will give to offenders to find work as part of the resettlement process.

Malcolm Wicks: We offer ex-offenders a wide range of help to move into work, including early access to employment programmes such as New Deal and Work Based Learning for Adults. Last autumn we also introduced Freshstart, a #3 million initiative to improve the links between prisons and Jobcentres and ease the transition from custody into work.
	Earlier this year we introduced progress2work to offer individually tailored specialist support to help people find work or improve their prospects of doing so. The first stage of progress2work focused on unemployed people who are recovering from drug problems. Ex-prisoners referred by drug counselling teams are a priority target group for progress2work. Later this month we will begin piloting the extension of the progress2work approach to other groups facing particularly difficult barriers to work. This will include all ex-offenders.

Incapacity Benefit (Fraud)

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures he is taking to prevent fraudulent claims of incapacity benefit.

Nick Brown: We are continuing to work hard to prevent fraud and error before it happens, to detect it when it does occur and to change public attitudes by showing that fraud is not a victimless crime. We are also taking further steps to tackle those who commit fraud, through new powers available under the Fraud Act.
	Our last review of incapacity benefits in 2000 estimated that fraud accounted for less than 1 per cent. of benefit spend.

Stakeholder Pensions

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in the Kettering constituency are entitled to a stakeholder pension.

Ian McCartney: Anyone who meets the Inland Revenue requirements is eligible for a stakeholder pension. The main requirement is to be a UK resident under the age of 75 who is ordinarily resident in the UK. Those who are members of an employer's occupational pension scheme can also join a stakeholder pension scheme if they do not earn more than #30,000 a year and are not a controlling director. Stakeholder pensions mean that everyone now has access to a good value pension arrangement. Figures from the Association of British Insurers show that nationally 1,011,934 stakeholder pensions had been sold by the end of June 2002 and 330,296 employers have given their workforces access to a stakeholder pension through designating a stakeholder scheme.
	Stakeholder pensions are helping to increase the size of the overall pensions market. They have driven down charges on other types of personal pension. Some employers have widened access to their occupational pension schemes and other employers have set up group personal pensions with an employer contribution.

Jobcentre Plus

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of customer reaction to Jobcentre Plus.

Nick Brown: The first 56 integrated Jobcentre Plus offices are now open and we will extend that network to cover the whole of Great Britain over the next four years.
	Research carried out as part of the early evaluation of the new Pathfinder offices indicates that first reactions from both individual customers and employers have been overwhelmingly positive. We plan to publish these results shortly.
	Jobcentre Plus will also be undertaking a National Customer Satisfaction Survey at the end of this year and will be publishing the findings in the spring of 2003.

Jobcentre Plus

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will encourage Jobcentre Plus to work in partnership with local voluntary sector organisations.

Nick Brown: Working in partnership is fundamental to the success of Jobcentre Plus. We recognise that working in partnership at national, regional and local level offers opportunities to harness the diverse skills and experiences that many other organisations have to offer. Not only will this help to provide a comprehensive service both to jobseekers and employers but it also helps our many partners to meet their own objectives.
	In particular, we support, and will continue to encourage, closer working with local service providers and voluntary organisations through Local Strategic Partnerships and in a wide variety of other bodies.

Jobcentre Plus

James Plaskitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the range of personal advice available to users of Jobcentre Plus.

Nick Brown: With the introduction of Jobcentre Plus we are delivering a single, integrated service to all benefit claimants of working age.
	Jobcentre Plus provides a full range of advice on employment and training opportunities combined with comprehensive benefit advice. This advice is tailored to the individual needs of the people using the service and will help them to move from welfare to work whilst ensuring they have the support they need whilst doing so.
	56 Jobcentre Plus pathfinder offices are already providing the fully integrated and work-focused service which we will extend progressively to cover the whole of Great Britain over the next four years. As part of this upgrade to the service, everyone of working age who is making a new or repeat claim for benefit in these offices will participate in a work-focused interview with a Personal Adviser and be offered their continuing support.

Jobcentre Plus

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assistance is provided by Jobcentre Plus in cases of large scale redundancies.

Nick Brown: In April we launched the Rapid Response Service. The Rapid Response Service works in co-operation with representatives of employees, employers and the local community to co-ordinate a response to redundancies that helps everyone affected and is tailored to their needs.
	The Rapid Response Service offers a range of information, advice, training and other help so that those people made redundant can move quickly back into work. Since its launch the Rapid Response Service has provided support to 158 companies and made its services available to over 50,000 people.

Jobcentre Plus

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress is being made to extend Jobcentre Plus across the UK.

Nick Brown: We are progressively extending the new integrated Jobcentre Plus office network across Great Britain over the next four years. By April 2003 we aim to introduce Jobcentre Plus services in over 200 more sites across 25 of our 90 Districts. A list of those Districts is available in the Library.

Child Support

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he intends to meet the Chief Executive of the CSA to discuss the progress of changes to the CSA; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Secretary of State holds regular meetings with the Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency to discuss the introduction of the new child support scheme and other operational issues.

Pensioners

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of persons of pensionable age there will be in (a) 10 and (b) 20 years' time; and if he will make a statement on the implications for public expenditure of these estimates.

Ian McCartney: It is estimated that there will be around 12 million people of pensionable age in 10 years time and around 12.5 million in 20 years time. The impact of an ageing population on the UK's public finances is expected to be manageable. The UK's public finances are sound and sustainable over the long term.
	The Government's long-term reforms will ensure that everyone has the chance to save for a decent income in retirement. Stakeholder pensions now provide a new option of safe, flexible, value for money pensions for people on moderate and higher earnings who do not have access to a good occupational scheme.
	The Government also wants private pensions to remain attractive to members and to scheme providers. That is why steps are being taken to simplify the private pensions system while at the same time safe-guarding the security of scheme members.
	The State Second Pension, introduced in April 2002, means that low earners will get at least double what they would have got from SERPS, while carers and disabled people with broken work records will be entitled to a second pension for the first time.
	The next stage in the Government's strategy is the Pension Credit. From 2003, this will tackle both poverty amongst today's pensioners and complement stakeholder pensions by boosting the incentive for future pensioners to save for their own retirement.

Pensioners

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the take-up of income related benefits by pensioners.

Ian McCartney: As a result of the national Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) take up campaign, over 139,000 pensioners are on average #20 a week better off. Over 2 million people now benefit from the MIG.
	We have introduced a range of initiatives to improve the take up of MIG, including, a revised and substantially shortened claim form and a new leaflet explaining MIG in simple terms. We have also put in place measures to identify those pensioners who may be entitled to the MIG. Since October 2001 callers to the Retirement Pension telecentre who are not in receipt of MIG, but identified as possible claimants, have been encouraged to claim. Since April 2002 non-recipients of MIG who have potential entitlement following certain key life events, such as reaching age 75 or 80, or who are awarded another benefit such as Attendance Allowance, are automatically identified and invited to claim.
	We are working with pensioner organisations and Local Authorities on take up initiatives which ensure pensioners on low incomes claim what they are entitled to.
	As at May 2001, there are 1,939,000 pensioners are in receipt of Housing Benefit and 2,891,000 pensioners are in receipt of Council Tax Benefit.*
	Source:
	* Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information Annual 1 per cent. sample enquiry taken in May 2001

Carer's Allowance

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will review regulations which reduce the value of carer's allowance and other benefits when recipients attain pensionable age; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: It is a basic principle of the Social Security system that only one benefit at a time can be paid for income maintenance. This is known as the overlapping benefit rule and has been a feature of the welfare state since its inception. State Pension is an income replacement benefit for those who have reached pensionable age. Invalid Care Allowance (ICA), which will be re-named ''Carer's Allowance'' in April 2003, provides a measure of financial support to those who give up the opportunity of full time paid employment to care for a severely disabled person. It too is an income replacement benefit. Even if it is not payable, underlying entitlement to ICA continues and if the carer is entitled to any of the income related benefits, carer premium can be paid. This is worth #24.80 per week.
	There are no plans to change these arrangements.

Occupational Pensions

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will require employers and employees to make compulsory second pension contributions.

Ian McCartney: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Wiggin) on 15 October 2002, Official Report, column 640W.

Labour Market

Frank Doran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on recent trends in the labour market in the manufacturing industry.

Nick Brown: Our policies have created a strong economy geared to delivering stability, low inflation and sound public finances. Alongside this, our labour market policies promote attachment to the job market. As a result of our policies we have around the lowest number of unemployed people in a quarter century, and more people in work than ever before, with an increase in overall employment of almost 200,000 in the last year.
	There are consistently high numbers of vacancies being created, with approximately 10,000 jobs being notified to Jobcentres every day. Our welfare to work policies, such as the New Deal, are aimed at helping those who lose their job, whether in manufacturing or any other sector, access these vacancies and return to work as quickly as possible.
	In the United Kingdom, manufacturing employment has been on a downward trend since the mid-1960s. The trend towards a larger proportion of total employment being accounted for by services is common amongst industrialised countries. However, manufacturing matters. It creates a fifth of our national output, employs four million people and produces the majority of our exports. The success of United Kingdom manufacturing is therefore crucial to our country's prosperity, now and in the future.
	One of the pillars of the Government's manufacturing strategy is raising skills and education levels and the Department is playing a key role in this area. Jobcentre Plus is one of the five key partners involved in the production of Frameworks for Regional Employment and Skills Action within the context of the Regional Economic Strategies. The Frameworks offer the opportunity to bring together various agencies to work towards a common employment strategy. They include plans for dealing with skills shortages, helping to ensure that industry has access to a pool of potential employees with the right skills for the modern labour market.

Long-term Unemployment

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what further steps he will take to help communities with high levels of long term unemployment.

Andrew Smith: Economic stability and active labour market programmes have helped people move from welfare to work in all parts of the country. Unemployment has in general fallen fastest in the areas where it was highest, so that the gap between the employment rate in the poorest areas and the average has narrowed.
	As well as the New Deals, we have Action Teams for Jobs and Employment Zones operating in areas with persistently high levels of unemployment.
	Of course we want to do more. We are piloting the mandatory StepUp jobs initiative, working on extending Employment Zones to more client groups and investing new funds to help Action Teams support employment and transport projects that will benefit their local communities.

Deafness

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on funding under the Access-to-Work Scheme to prelingually deaf people who need language support at work in connection with reading and writing English.

Maria Eagle: The Access to Work programme provides help for disabled people with additional costs in travelling to work, adaptations to workplaces, special equipment and funding for support workers. The budget has been increased every year since 1997, and 32,798 people benefited from the scheme in 2001–02 compared to just 10,000 in 1996–97.
	Help through Access to Work can include funding for English language support for prelingually deaf people to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities at work.

Deafness

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when information about disability living allowance will be made available in sign-language video format.

Malcolm Wicks: Information about Disability Living Allowance, along with the rest of the Department's benefit and pensions information, is currently being reviewed across the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The review is driving the establishment of new corporate standards for the production of information in alternative formats. This includes the use of British Sign Language and the production of videos.

Disability Rights Commissioners

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the process for filling the five vacancies for Disability Rights Commissioners that will occur in April 2003.

Maria Eagle: The posts have been advertised openly in a range of national and specialist publications including the disability and ethnic minority press. The closing date was 4 October. The sift and interview processes will involve an independent assessor and the names of the successful candidates will be announced publicly by means of a press release, expected to be issued in March 2003. This process is in line with the Code of Practice for Public Appointments and guidelines issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA).

Pensions

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people who have made a claim for the basic state pension have been asked to complete form BF195 on the status of their marriage during the last 12 months; how many of these people have been allowed to make a claim as a married person; and how many complaints have been received about the form.

Ian McCartney: The information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Pensions

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with pensioner organisations about developing initiatives to encourage the take-up of the proposed state pension credit.

Ian McCartney: Ministers and officials meet with pensioner organisations on a regular basis to discuss initiatives to encourage the take-up of pension credit.

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the additional weekly amount of state second pension accrued at current rates by a person who undertakes one year of full-time caring responsibilities and is in receipt of invalid care allowance.

Ian McCartney: Expressed in current terms, for each complete tax year that people are entitled to invalid care allowance, they will receive an additional pension of #1.08p.

Motability

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department was consulted on the recent awarding of the motability tender.

Maria Eagle: The Department was advised of two Motability tender exercises this year. The first was for inspection services for adapted vehicles, the contract for which was awarded in June 2002. The second was in relation to the future provision of powered wheelchairs and pavement scooters under the Motability scheme. A number of bids were received and the evaluation process is nearing its end, but no contract has yet been awarded. The Department has taken no part in the selection process in either exercise.

Disability Benefit

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average wait was for a disability benefit appeal hearing in the last 12 months; and what plans he has to improve the service.

Maria Eagle: The average waiting time over the 12 month period, ending August 2002, for Disability Living Allowance appeals, from date of receipt by the Appeals Service until first hearing, was 13.1 weeks. A modernisation programme is currently underway which aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness in the handling of appeals.

Pension Rights

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with EU counterparts on protection of employees' pension rights.

Ian McCartney: We regularly take the opportunity to exchange views with EU counterparts on respective national approaches to pensions issues, including exchanging information and best practice. The UK also continues to participate fully in the ongoing development of the draft EU Directive on Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision, which aims to put in place common requirements for the supervision of occupational pension schemes, including appropriate provisions for scheme members, in order to promote mobility.

Pension Rights

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that advancements in information collection are used to inform pension-holders of their rights and opportunities.

Ian McCartney: Pension providers, including occupational pension schemes, are required to provide information to pension holders and members of pension schemes at certain times or following specific events. They are able to make use of developments in information technology in order to meet these requirements, provided the person to whom the information is intended has access to the technology and is able to receive the information intended for them. The Government encourages schemes to consider the most appropriate routes for distributing information to members and to make full use of the advancements in information technology.

Pension Rights

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment has been made of the current arrangements for winding up pension schemes; and what consideration will be given to providing greater protection to pension funds.

Ian McCartney: The current provisions for winding up occupational pension schemes set out in the Pensions Act 1995 and subsequent regulations are intended to provide a fair and equitable distribution of assets.
	In April of this year the Government introduced a package of measures designed to speed up the winding up process. This legislation places greater visible accountability on those people who are involved in winding up a pension scheme and will help to ensure that the benefits that members are entitled to are secured more quickly.
	The Government is determined to protect the long-term security of pensioners and other pension scheme members in occupational pension schemes.
	In his report to the Government Alan Pickering proposed a number of measures designed to protect pension scheme members on wind up, and ease the administrative burden faced by trustees. These issues, along with others in the Pickering Report will be addressed in the forthcoming Green Paper on Pensions.

HEALTH

Asylum Accommodation

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Government stars were awarded to hospitals within the NHS trusts whose boundaries include the proposed asylum accommodation centre sites; and how many such stars were awarded to hospitals covering the short-listed asylum accommodation centre sites not chosen.

David Lammy: The table below identifies the main local acute National Health Service Trusts and their current star rating in the areas which the Home Office has identified as potential sites for accommodation centres for asylum seekers. Performance ratings published by the Department do not cover hospitals in Scotland and Wales.
	
		
			  
		
		
			 Non-statutory public local planning 
			 inquiry to be held Local Trust Rating 
			 Defence & Storage Distribution Centre, 
			 Bicester, Oxfordshire Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust 1* 
			 RAF Newton, Notts Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham University 
			 Hospitals NHS Trust/Nottingham City 
			 Hospital NHS Trust 3*/2* 
			 Planning notification to be submitted/ Local Trust Rating 
			 Throckmorton Airfield, Pershore, Worcs. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 3* 
			 Decision on whether to proceed to planning 
			 notification stage still to be taken Local Trust Rating 
			 Hemswell Cliff, Lincolnshire Northern Lincolnshire & Goole 
			 Hospitals NHS Trust 3* 
			 Airwest, Edinburgh N/A N/A 
			 Sully Park Hospital, Cardiff N/A N/A 
			 Decision taken not to proceed with proposed site Local Trust Rating 
			 Hooton Park, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire Wirral Hospitals NHS Trust 3* 
			 Killingholme, North Lincolnshire Northern Lincolnshire & Goole 
			 Hospitals NHS Trust 3*

Care Homes

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private care homes do not comply with the equivalent standard of care provided by public authorities; if he will specify the improved conditions he has now abandoned; and if he will encourage local authorities to re-open or open premises providing after-care services for the elderly.

Jacqui Smith: The degree to which individual care homes conform to national standards cannot be quantified in detail at the moment. The National Care Standards Commission will form a more detailed picture of care homes' compliance with the national standards as it completes its first cycle of inspections of providers in England during 2002–03.
	We have not abandoned standards. We are simply proposing to change a few of the more challenging physical environment standards so that care homes which existed before 1 April 2002 which do not already meet these standards will not be expected to meet higher standards than those they already meet. National standards will continue to apply to new care homes and extensions and will be regarded as best practice to which all care homes should aspire.
	The standards proposed for amendment are as follows:
	
		
			 Care homes for older people Care homes for younger adults 
		
		
			 1.2 users' guide 1.2 users' guide 
			 20.1/20.4: communal space 24.2: living space 
			 21.3: assisted baths 24.9: wheelchair access 
			 22.2: passenger lifts 25.3: single rooms 
			 22.5: doorways 25.5: shared bedrooms 
			 23.3/23.4: single room floor space 27.2/27.4 toilets & bathrooms 
			 23.11: single rooms 28.2 shared space 
		
	
	As part of the additional investment for intermediate care and related services announced in the NHS Plan, #66 million has been made available over two years (2002–03 and 2003–04) for intermediate care capital development schemes. All but #4 million of this funding has now been allocated. Some of this funding is being used to develop council premises to increase intermediate care capacity.

Care Homes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is putting in place to compensate care homes which have already complied with the national minimum standards on room sizes.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 16 October 2002
	Under the Care Standards Act the Government is able to review standards at any time and all national standards are due to be reviewed within three years of their introduction. Many home owners meet or exceed the national standards and have no reason to be concerned about them.
	We have no plans to provide financial assistance to those providers who needed to improve their care homes to meet national standards, including those standards which we are now consulting on. Care homes are independent businesses. Any improvements they make should be viewed as adding to the value of their property. However, in contracting with independent sector providers of care we expect local authorities to take into account a range of provider costs such as implementing national standards. Providers will also be able to detail the facilities they offer in their prospectuses, so that those purchasing or using the services can make an informed choice.

Care Homes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the change in the requirements of the national minimum standard on room sizes for care homes.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 16 October 2002
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made a statement to the House on 23 July 2002 explaining the policy context for the consultation now underway. The consultation document published on 16 August 2002 also sets out the issues, which are to ensure that:
	Care home owners are in no doubt about the standards they should meet;
	Good local care homes do not fear closure because they may not meet all the environmental standards such as sizes of rooms and doors, the availability of single rooms, the number of lifts and baths;
	People using care home services can make an informed choice by knowing what a particular home will be offering, with each care home spelling out where they do or do not meet the standards.
	Copies of the consultation document are available from Department publications or on the Department's internet website at: www.doh.gov.uk/ncsc.
	The consultation exercise runs until 8 November 2002 and we will carefully consider all representations we receive, and the full implications of any changes to the national standards for the care home sector, before coming to conclusions. We will publish our conclusions as soon as possible.

Care Homes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he proposes to publish his response to the consultation exercise on interpretation of regulations for care homes under the Care Standards Act 2000; and if he will place copies of the consultation responses in the Library.

Jacqui Smith: The consultation document issued on 16 August sets out proposals to change certain national minimum standards for care homes for older people and care homes for younger adults (18–65) which relate to the physical environment. The consultation does not propose making any changes to the Care Homes Regulations 2001 issued under the Care Standards Act.
	The consultation exercise ends on 8 November. We will carefully consider all the comments we receive and publish revised national minimum standards for care homes for older people and for care homes for younger adults (18–65) as soon as possible.
	A report summarising the responses to the consultation exercise will be placed in the Library.

Alzheimer's

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received regarding the mechanisms in place to ensure equitable uptake for new treatments for Alzheimer's; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: According to our records we are not aware of any recent representations regarding the mechanisms in place to ensure equitable uptake for new treatments for Alzheimer's. In January 2001 the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommended that donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine should be made available on the National Health Service as one component of the management of those people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Patients whose clinicians prescribe the drugs in line with NICE'S guidance should now receive the appropriate treatment.
	Implementation of the national service framework for older people will ensure that people with Alzheimer's receive the treatment and care they need.

Alzheimer's

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent in the last 12 months on Alzheimer's treatments; how many patients benefitted from Alzheimer's treatments in that period broken down by (a) health authority and (b) health trust; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not routinely collected. Information is, however, available on the cost of the three drugs—donepezil, rivastigme and galantamine—currently used for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's and on the number of finished consultant episodes where the primary diagnosis is Alzheimer's.
	The 2001–02 cost of the three drugs (excluding discounts) dispensed in the community was around #13.3 million (information is not available on their cost when dispensed in hospitals). The 2000–01 information for finished consultant episodes has been placed in the Library.

Transplants

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has received about the viability of existing NHS hospitals providing open transplant surgical facilities.

David Lammy: United Kingdom Transplant regularly publishes reports on transplant activity in each organ transplant unit in the UK. The most recent comprehensive report is the Transplant Activity Report 2001, which gives details of organ donation and transplant rates by centre for renal, cardiothoracic (heart and lung/heart/lung) and liver transplantation. The Department also receives annual reports on renal transplantation from regional specialty commissioning groups. The national specialist advisory group produces an annual report on national services, including cardiothoracic and liver transplantation.

Treatment Options

Dai Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he plans to ensure that clinicians provide patients with full information about treatment options available to them.

David Lammy: In March 2001 the Department published a ''Reference Guide to Consent for Examination or Treatment'', setting out the current law on consent to treatment. In November 2001 we published, with a Health Service Circular (HSC 2001/023) the ''Good Practice in Consent Implementation Guide'', which contains model consent forms. These documents make clear the requirement that patients should be given full information about what is proposed and the treatment options that are available to them.

Wheelchairs

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to ringfence grants to fund purchases of wheelchairs and other community equipment;
	(2)  what his response is to the Audit Commission's, Fully Equipped 2002: Assisting Independence—and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what action he has taken to ensure that funding given to health authorities, hospital trusts, primary care trusts and social services to improve community equipment services, prosthetics departments and wheelchair services has increased capacity in all areas;

Jacqui Smith: The government welcomes the Audit Commission's report Fully Equipped 2002: Assisting Independence. Since the Audit Commission's original Fully Equipped report in 2000, we have set up a programme to improve disability services. The programme includes NHS Plan targets for integrating community equipment services and for increasing the numbers of equipment users by 50 per cent., both by 2004. The latter target has recently been extended to cover a further 250,000 people by 2006. The follow-up report Fully Equipped 2002 indicates that at this half way stage progress has clearly been made in areas such as community equipment services, hearing aid services and neonatal hearing screening. However, it highlights other areas where further work is needed and where we are now taking action such as wheelchairs, prosthetics and orthotics.
	Funding is given to the National Health Service with which to commission community equipment services, prosthetics, orthotics, hearing aid and wheelchair services. We have made available to the NHS an additional #105 million to improve community equipment services alone in the previous, current and next financial years. It is for local commissioners of services to determine how best to meet national priorities for improving health, tackling inequalities and modernising services and the extra investment in health and social care will help them do that.
	In addition to the current tranche of additional NHS funding for community equipment services, local councils have also received an additional amount in the personal social services settlement to improve their community equipment services. Furthermore, on 23 July 2002, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made a statement to the House on older people and the reduction of delayed discharges from hospital. In it he indicated that community equipment has an important role to play in facilitating discharges and that there will be additional ring fenced funding for community equipment and minor adaptations for social services in the years 2003–04 to 2005–06. In the same statement, my right hon. Friend announced both the intention to remove the power of councils to charge for the loan of community equipment (subject to legislation) and new targets to speed up the time it takes to deliver equipment and to make minor adaptations. All these measures will directly benefit people who need such items.

Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting (a) for in-patient treatment in each of the last three months and (b) over 13 weeks for an out-patient appointment in the last two available quarters in the Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust area.

John Hutton: The information requested is given in the table. In–patient data is available monthly, but out–patient data is only published quarterly.
	
		Waiting times data, Mid-Essex Hospital Services National Health Service Trust. Patients waiting for elective admission
		
			 Month Total waiting Patients waiting for admission by month waiting 
			   0–2 3–5 6–8 9–11 12–14 15 plus 
		
		
			 Mar–02 9,732 4,427 2,625 1,526 834 320 0 
			 Apr–02 9,874 4,462 2,616 1,662 865 269 0 
			 May–02 9,986 4,352 2,607 1,880 915 232 0 
			 Jun–02 9,838 3,946 2,884 1,690 1,061 257 0 
			 Jul–02 9,928 4,096 2,923 1,590 1,103 216 0 
			 Aug–02 9,804 4,108 2,763 1,569 1,156 208 0 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH07 and Monthly Monitoring
	
		Waiting time for first outpatient appointment, patients still waiting to be seen
		
			 Quarter 13 to 26 weeks 26 plus weeks Total over 13 weeks 
		
		
			 Mar–02 794 0 794 
			 Jun–02 1,241 0 1,241 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form QM08

Hospital Building Programme

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's assessment is of the likely financial and staffing implication for the new building criteria for new hospitals.

John Hutton: Affordability of all hospital building schemes, whether public finance initiative or publicly funded, has to be assessed alongside the resources for the clinical service commitments involved at new hospitals, following guidance set out in the NHS Capital Investment Manual (1994). The commissioners have to clearly set out in the outline business case that they agree to the level, mix and cost of clinical services upon which the business case is based and that they can afford to pay for the services along with costs arising from the building project.

Delayed Discharge and Emergency Readmission

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place copies of the Quarter two delayed discharge and emergency readmission figures in the Library.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 16 October 2002
	The quarter two (September 2002) figures on delayed discharge and emergency readmission are not yet available. I am placing in the Library all the available information on delayed discharge and emergency readmission for June 2002, which is the latest available.

Health Care (Portsmouth)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential care home places for elderly people were closed in the Portsmouth, South constituency during the last two months; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not centrally available.

Care Standards Act

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many responses have been received to the consultation exercise regarding interpretation of regulations for care homes under the Care Standards Act 2000.

Jacqui Smith: As at 17 October 2002, the Department had received 51 responses to the consultation document setting out proposed revised physical environment standards for care homes for older people and younger adults. The closing date for comments is 8 November 2002.

English Standards

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued by his Department to hospital trusts to ensure standards of spoken English for newly recruited nurses and doctors.

John Hutton: Health Service Circular 1999/137 Employment of European Economic Area (EEA) Nationals: Ensuring Language Competency was issued on 14 June 1999. This circular clarifies the respective roles of registration authorities and employers and includes good practice guidelines to help employers ensure that they appoint staff who are able to speak and write English to an appropriate standard. Arrangements for testing the language and professional skills of non-EEA nationals are a matter for the appropriate professional regulatory body.

Organ Donors

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been registered as organ donors in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: The number of people registering on the National Health Service organ donor register in each of the last five years are as follows:
	1997–921,810
	1998–867,257
	1999–2,907,788
	2000–1,237,005
	2001–1,109,433

Operation Costs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost to the NHS is of (a) hip replacement, (b) knee replacement, (c) heart bypass surgery and (d) cataract operations.

John Hutton: The national average costs of the listed procedures in 2000–01 are as follows:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 Primary hip replacement #4,179 
			 Primary knee replacement #4,576 
			 Coronary Artery Bypass Graft #5,483 
			 Cataracts 
			 —Phakeoemulsification cataract with lens implant #583 
			 —Other cataract extraction with lens implant #572 
		
	
	Source:
	Reference Costs 2001
	The costs quoted are for elective inpatient stays for the first three procedures listed. Cataract surgery is primarily performed as a day case procedure, and the costs shown for cataract extraction are based on day case activity. If any procedure requires a stay in critical care, these costs are not included in the above figures but are reported separately. The time, and therefore associated costs, spent in critical care is patient specific and is therefore excluded.
	The 2001–02 figures are currently being compiled and will be available shortly.

Renal Medicine

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultants specialising in renal medicine were employed in the NHS in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: Between Sept 1997 and March 2002, the number of consultants in renal medicine increased by 35 per cent.
	The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Hospital, medical consultants within the renal medicine specialty by year
		
			 Year Numbers 
		
		
			 2002 270 
			 2001 260 
			 2000 230 
			 1999 210 
			 1998 210 
			 1997 200 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest ten
	Data for 1997–2001 is at 30 September and 2002 data is at 31 March.
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

Renal Medicine

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which renal units in hospital trusts in England and Wales operate at weekends.

David Lammy: We do not collect this information, but it is normal practice for main renal dialysis units, and most satellite dialysis units, to dialyse patients on Saturdays.

Renal Medicine

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish his NSF on renal conditions.

David Lammy: Advice on the renal national service framework is being developed by an external reference group in four modules covering, dialysis, transplantation, prevention and primary care, and end of life care. These will be published in due course.

Renal Medicine

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the assessment is of his Department of the proportion of kidney failure cases linked to diabetes.

David Lammy: The latest information is from the December 2001 Report from the United Kingdom renal registry covering the year 2000, copies which are available in the Library. This shows that diabetes accounted for 16 per cent. of new cases of end stage renal failure and 10 per cent. of prevalent cases.

Renal Medicine

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received dialysis treatment in the NHS in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: The information in the table is derived from survey data commissioned by the Department for the years 1993, 1995 and 1998 and shows the prevalent patients receiving dialysis. A further survey is planned for 2002.
	
		
			 England 1993 1995 1998 
		
		
			 Dialysis 9,045 10,988 13,405

Renal Medicine

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is being funded by his Department into the prevalence of renal complaints amongst ethnic communities.

David Lammy: We are not funding research specifically into the prevalence of renal complaints among ethnic communities although there are other research projects on related aspects of renal disease. There is already good evidence to show that the prevalence rates for most kidney diseases are three to five times higher among the Asian and African/Caribbean minority ethnic groups.
	We are presently investing #0.5 million on two major publicity campaigns, and we have provided a three-year grant of #65,000 to the national kidney research fund's ''A Better Life Campaign'', all aimed at raising awareness of kidney disease among minority ethnic groups.

Renal Medicine

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost is to the NHS of providing annual dialysis treatment for patients with kidney disorders.

David Lammy: The average cost data in the reference costs collection for renal dialysis is collected on a session, not a patient basis. The figures in the table are based on the four main categories currently used for analysis of these costs. The data is for the 2000–2001 financial year, and is based on data submitted by all National Health Service trusts in England.
	Most haemodialysis patients dialyse three times a week although some may require fewer dialysis sessions depending on the severity of their condition. Patients on peritoneal dialysis will normally exchange fluids three of four times a day and patients using automated peritoneal dialysis will carry out exchanges at night.
	
		
			 Reference Costs 2000–01: Renal Dialysis No of Sessions Mean Average # 
		
		
			 Hospital Based Haemodialysis (including, 
			 inpatients, outpatients and ward atttenders) 
			  1,276,797 145 
			 Home Haemodialysis 92,045 104 
			 Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis 
			 (CAPD) 
			  3,736,733 21 
			 Automated Peritoneal Dialysis (APD) 899,800 18 
		
	
	Source:
	Reference Costs 2001 Publication

Overseas Nurses

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contracts have been signed by his Department to bring teams of doctors from continental Europe to work in the NHS.

John Hutton: The Department does not sign contracts with overseas clinical teams. Contracts are negotiated between individual National Health Service trusts and overseas providers.

Social Workers

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many social workers have (a) been recruited, (b) left before normal retirement age, and (c) retired since the launch of his social worker recruitment campaign in 2001.

Jacqui Smith: Recruitment and retirement figures on social workers are not collected centrally.
	The aims of the Department's recruitment campaign are to:
	Raise the number of people applying for social work training by 5000 by 2004.
	Inform the public about what social workers actually do.
	Make existing social workers realise that their work is valued.
	The campaign is generating a lot of interest, and the provisional figures for the number of applications for social work training show that there has been an increase this year over last, the first increase in the number of applications since the mid-1990s.

Resource Allocation

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Advisory Committee on resource allocation will report on its review of the Your NHS Funding Formula; and if he will make the report public.

John Hutton: We are currently considering the recommendations of the advisory committee on resource allocation for a new National Health Service funding formula. Later this autumn when we announce the revenue allocations for the next three years we will explain changes to the formula. The team who carried out the research into the new formula plan to publish a full report of their findings.

Resource Allocation

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has made available for community equipment services in each of the last three years.

Jacqui Smith: Community equipment services are funded from National Health Service and social services general allocation and the amount made available by local commissioners each year is not collected centrally.
	In addition to general funding allocations, additional funding has been made available. In 2001–02 and 2002–03, #11.7 million and #15.4 million were included in baseline allocations to health authorities. The Government also took account of the need for additional investment in the personal social services settlement for 2001–02 to 2003–04, to enable councils to contribute an appropriate share to the expansion of these services. These additional allocations are recurring amounts.